RICKY Gervais revealed he feared he was heading for the after life — when he was struck down by a stomach upset.

The hypochondriac comedian, 61, was hit by vomiting and diarrhoea one night this month.

But during his ordeal he convinced himself he had liver or stomach cancer or was the victim of cyanide poisoning or radiation sickness.

Finally, he decided he had coronavirus.

He told fans in an online Q&A he feared his fondness for drink was killing him, saying: “What happened was, it was Wednesday night, about 1am, and I had a pain in my side that woke me up – like a shooting pain.

“It was like ‘Aaaaah’. That never happens.

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“It was like, ‘Ooh, what was that?’ Then it happened again.

“My first thought was obviously – liver cancer, right?”

“In the middle of the night, you’re convinced — that is it.

“I’ve blown it.”

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He went on: “I got another pain, and it was, ‘Oh, oh God.’ And I felt sick.

“And I went to throw up and couldn’t. So I thought, ‘Oh, maybe it’s stomach cancer.’

“And then I couldn’t be sick – there was nothing there.

“Then the pain of the vomiting was incredible, there was an intensity.”

Ricky, who once said he had been drunk every day since the age of 18, added: “You forget how bad vomiting is – you forget just how f*****g awful.

“I mean, never mind the illness and thinking you’re going to die – I can’t breathe. And I think I’m going to choke.

“And I think I’m not going to get my breath back in between each spasm.

“The next day, when I coughed, my ribs – I thought, oh, I’ve ripped my stomach lining here.’”

But The Office and After Life creator said he had recovered by the next day and was lining up an 8pm beer.

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