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Ricky Gervais says the Pope's comment about having kids was 'stupid'

Ricky Gervais at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association press conference for
Ricky Gervais has shared his thoughts on the Pope's recent comments. (Sipa USA)

Ricky Gervais has slammed the Pope's suggestion that people who chose to have pets over children were selfish.

Pope Francis made the comment earlier this month, saying as he discussed parenthood at the Vatican: "Today... we see a form of selfishness. We see that some people do not want to have a child. Sometimes they have one, and that's it, but they have dogs and cats that take the place of children.”

However, animal lover Gervais, 60, has said it was a "stupid thing to say".

The comedian, who doesn’t have any children, said on the Radio Times podcast: “How can not having children be selfish?”

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EDITORIAL USE ONLY Ricky Gervais during the filming for the Graham Norton Show at BBC Studioworks 6 Television Centre, Wood Lane, London, to be aired on BBC One on Friday evening.
Ricky Gervais doesn't agree with the Pope's comment. (PA)

“It doesn’t make any sense,” The Office and Extras star continued.

"How can it be selfish not to bring something into the world that doesn’t exist on any level?

“There is not a big line, or a cage, of unborn foetuses going, ‘We want to be born!’

"It doesn’t make any sense."

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Gervais went on: “I don’t have kids for many reasons, but one is that there is enough.

"No one is going, ‘Gervais isn’t having kids! We’re going to run out soon’.”

After Life star Gervais has been in a relationship with producer and author Jane Fallon since 1982, after they met when they were students at university.

The pair have chosen not to tie the knot, and the comedian previously told The Times: "We are married for all intents and purposes, everything's shared and actually our fake marriage has lasted longer than a real one."

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