HAMPSTEAD Heath is the secret to how funnyman Ricky Gervais has shed the excess pounds.

The comedian has told reporters he has lost 20 pounds since moving to Hampstead after taking up jogging on Hampstead Heath.

Although he should be enjoying his new svelte frame, he has revealed it has caused problems professionally.

“Now I’ve got to stop making jokes about fat people, which is annoying - when I was fat, it was OK,” he said.

It wasn’t just Ricky who has been affected by healthy living in Hampstead but his girlfriend Jane Fallon also lost 18 pounds.

“I was trying to lose weight as well, so I was cooking healthier versions of what we were eating. He didn’t realise that I was probably feeding him less calories at the same time he was running,” she said.

Though Ricky has denied he has turned into a seed-eating health freak.

“It wasn’t so much about the weight. It was more that I was a fat, lazy, out of shape slob, to be honest,” he continued.

“I didn’t eat differently. I probably just stopped having that second meal at 11:30 at night.”