The Office (BBC Sitcom, Ricky Gervais, Martin Freeman)

Hugely popular sitcom The Office was made in the style of a fly on the wall documentary where the staff of paper merchants Wernham Hogg in Slough are filmed and interviewed doing their jobs. The principal character was their boss, David Brent (Ricky Gervais), who believed his sole purpose there was to entertain the staff and boost morale. At the end of the second series Brent was made redundant.

In 2003 there were two Christmas specials of The Office revisiting the staff after a three year interval. Brent was shown trying to launch himself as minor celebrity following the transmission of the documentary. The series won many awards. The two series were shown on BBC2 with the concluding specials shown on BBC1. A few months before the premiere of this series BBC One had aired another sitcom called Office Gossip. A very traditional affair it came and went without anyone noticing.

A long running and equally popular US version began on 24 March 2005 and ran until 16 May 2013. Steve Carell starred as Michael Scott.

Cast: Ricky Gervais (David Brent), Martin Freeman (Tim Canterbury), Mackenzie Crook (Gareth Keenan), Lucy Davis (Dawn Tinsley), Oliver Chris (Ricky Howard), Robin Hooper (Malcolm), Ben Bradshaw (Ben), Ewen Macintosh (Keith Bishop), Angela Clerkin (Jackie), Jamie Deeks (Jamie), Jane Lucas (Sheila), Emma Manton (Emma), Alexander Perkins (Ralph), Philip Pickard (Philip), Patrick Baladi (Neil Godwin), Stacey Roca (Rachel), Joel Beckett (Lee), Ewen Macintosh (Keith), Rachel Isaac (Trudy), Ben Bradshaw (Ben), Julie Fernandez (Brenda),

Writers and Directors: Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant / Producer: Ash Atalla

UK / BBC Two / 12×30 minute episodes 2×50 minute episodes / Broadcast 7 September 2001 – 27 December 2003