And the winner is....

So yesterday Ricky Gervais judged each and every competition entry that was sent into me. I sent him about 28 pages of A4 and like a true professional he stuck to his word and read every single one, more than once! It was such a lovely surprise to have one of the world’s biggest stars publicly calling me a bastard for nearly making him cry! But it wasn't me that made him do this, it was all of you - so thank you! Haha!

The prize: the tadpole bedpan from episode one

I never discussed runners-up prizes with Ricky initially but he was so moved that he felt compelled to commend more than one person for their efforts and he is now sorting out seven signed photographs to seven runners-up!

But there can only be one winner. We asked what Derek Season One meant to you and the winner of the signed tadpole bedpan, as featured in the first episode of Derek is......... Alice Jorgensen for this truly moving piece:

I have autism. I know what it's like to get abused and beaten up in school every day. What it's like to stand up again, every time, although you don't have the power to.

I wish there was a show like Derek when I was younger. It would've made me feel less lonely. I don't know if Derek is autistic, but it doesn't matter, because I relate to him.

Derek is the warm, empathic friend I wish I've had when I was a kid. I wanna be like Derek when I grow up. After all, kindness is magic.

Congratulations Alice - a truly heartfelt message. Your bedpan, pictured below, signed by Ricky Gervais will be sent to you next week!

Alice Jorgensen - the proud owner of this!

And now the runners-up. I'm sure this was incredibly difficult for Ricky but seven more entries really stood out for him and they are:

Shane Trundley:

Derek Series One perfectly enraptured the beauty of true human life. The wide range of emotions it draw from within me opened my eyes to see beyond the everyday problematic issues we all face and appreciate the bigger picture. I became engrossed within Derek as a whole and almost lived within it rather than viewed it as a program. If everyone felt and took these positives from the series and applied them to their own circumstances even in the smallest way we will all be looking forward to a very bright future for ourselves and others.

Iain Mac:

The best thing about Derek is its simplicity. There's no subtlety or hidden meaning behind Derek Noakes' actions because there doesn't need to be. Kindness is the simplest thing on earth to emit, and it needs no ulterior motive.

So in the simplest terms possible, I love Derek because he has inspired me to do two things:

1) Be kind!

2) Write a letter to his creator (via a website named in honour of Anti-Semitic Amphibicide) giddy with the faint hope of securing a fucking piss-stained piece of ceramic.

If that's not love, what is?

Astrid Baudine:

Derek proved me that kindness is not a weakness. I sometimes think that I am unadapted to this world, that being too kind hurts me because lots of people are cruel and selfish. So, I thought I should be cynical and misanthropic to be happy. But Derek showed me that you can be proud to be full of kindness. It gives you more than you can ever received. It gives you love, respect and warmth. Smiles. Company. Kindness never leave you alone. And as kindness is magic, Derek is the best wizard of us all.

Paula Gofford:

The very first episode of Derek was motivation enough for me to commit to the idea of changing career, into that of Elderly Care. I had wanted to do it for a long time. Since beginning to apply after the first episode, I have secured myself not one, but two jobs. I am now making a difference to the elderly in my community, and enjoying spending time with these wonderful people. I could not have done that without Ricky and the wonderful script and production of Derek.

Aaron Butterworth (and Muriel Butterworth):

Why did I love the first series of Derek? Because I am Derek.

Well, I'm not actually Derek; my names not Derek and I don't live in a nursing home, but I'm close enough.

I live with my Nan, my dad is an alcoholic, I'm a little bit different and I'm not the smartest person in the world. (I had to get a friend to help me write this entry).

Derek showed the world that it's far more important to be kind than anything else and that even if you aren't like everybody else it is nothing to be ashamed of.

Derek is an inspiration to me, my Nan and my friend.

Mandy Pinetown:

What I love about Derek is that he doesn't judge or give up on people; Derek is willing to accept anyone for who they are. He doesn't dwell on what anyone else thinks of him because what matters to him are the people in his life who he loves and in return who love him. Derek teaches us that the most important thing in life, despite anything else, are the relationships we build and have with people. Not just those in our family, but strangers as well. Overall, the most valuable thing about Derek is his heart of gold.

Jack Emmens:

Never before have I witnessed anything that can make a person change from laughing hysterically to fighting back tears and then back again in a matter of minutes. Derek shuffled his way into everybody's heart faster than a baby monkey riding on a pig. He became a nation's best friend overnight and we have been with him on his journey, feeling every euphoric moment and every heart wrenching plot twist. I can relate with every other character on the show because our lives have one thing in common, they have been enriched by having Derek in them. Kindness is magic!

I would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone who entered the competition and everyone who has engaged with this website. TadpoleHitler.com could not have been a success without the fans.

I've smiled like this for the past 8 weeks!

The amazing artwork, the banter and the kind words I have received has made this a truly surreal and thoroughly enjoyable experience. And don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere – I will still be here to fill the void as we wait patiently for season two!