Tuesday 12th July 2011 by Alex Winehouse | Photos by Splash News/WENN

Ricky Gervais has defended his new sitcom, saying that lead character Warwick Davis's short stature isn't used to get cheap laughs.

Life's Too Short stars Davis as the boss of a dwarf talent agency who steals all the best parts for himself, but Gervais is adament that he never pokes fun at Davis's disability.

Speaking on the Absolute Radio Breakfast Show, the 50-year-old said: "This is nothing to do with his height. We're not getting jokes out of him being short all the time, we're getting jokes out of him being militant or ripping off other dwarves. He runs an agency, both in real life and in this one. In this one it's called Dwarves for Hire and of course he's just ripping them off. He's getting all the best jobs for himself and he treats them like commodities and props.

"It's not the real Warwick Davis, he's not really like that. We've created a character here, a little Mussolini (dictator). And it's not all jokes about his height, it's much more about his character."

Davis had previously worked with Gervais and writing partner Stephen Merchant in a 2005 episode of Extras.

Life's Too Short, a joint BBC/HBO venture, is due out later in the year.

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