Jim Carrey showed he has a sense of humour after an impersonator gained access to attend a Czech film awards in his place.

Organisers of the Cesky Lev (Czech Lion) awards in Prague have been forced to issue a statement, admitting that the joke was on them after a lookalike for the Canadian star fooled officials.

“We were the victims of an elaborate hoax,” the Czech Film and Television Academy (CFTA) said.

“We communicated with the supposed Hollywood actor’s agents and he came with bodyguards and an interpreter so it all appeared very professional with nothing suggesting it was a hoax.”

Suited and booted, the prankster – who was later identified as Hari Zinhasovic – was allowed on stage at the ceremony, where he was showered with confetti.

The fake Jim Carrey at the Czech Lion Awards
The fake Jim Carrey at the Czech Lion Awards (Tomas Martinek/DPA/Press Association Images)

Even after the ceremony, the academy’s members continued to insist their guest was indeed Jim, the star of films such as The Mask, Dumb And Dumber and The Truman Show.

Awards host Lucie Vyborna told the Blesk Prague newspaper: “Of course the real Jim Carrey was on the stage. I knew that he would come but I did not know what he would do there.”

The real Jim (Ian West/PA)
The real Jim Carrey (Ian West/PA)

Jim, who was at home watching the Oscars during the Czech Lion awards, joked that “his spirit will not be ignored”.