The BBC is making a documentary to celebrate 25 years since The Office arrived on our screens – but its main star and co-creators won’t be appearing in the reunion special.
The hit workplace mockumentary debuted in 2001 and aired for two six-episode series, with two additional Christmas specials.
Mackenzie Crook and Martin Freeman, who played sales representatives Tim and Gareth, will reminisce about the sitcom in the BBC’s celebration.
But David Brent himself, aka Ricky Gervais, won’t be popping up – and has decided to film his own documentary to mark the big occasion instead.
A source has told The Sun that Gervais’s decision “is a huge blow as it taints [the BBC’s] celebration somewhat”.
“It just sums up his lack of allegiance towards the Beeb which has been drifting for some time now,” they continued.
A representative for Gervais told The Independent that the 65-year-old star “was not available” to take part in the BBC’s documentary, but remains in contact with the broadcaster “all the time about The Office”.
They added they were “keen to clarify that there is no rift” between Gervais and the broadcaster.
A representative for the BBC declined to comment
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Meanwhile, Gervais announced last Sunday that he will be celebrating 25 years of The Office with a documentary set to debut on his YouTube channel.
While the comedian is keeping the full plan under wraps, he confirmed in his weekly livestream that the film will arrive on his YouTube channel around the exact anniversary of The Office’s anniversary, which falls on Thursday 9 July.
Gervais will also be releasing a trailer ahead of time, which is a crossover with his animated Netflix series Alley Cats.
His representative told The Independent that Gervais’s YouTube content “will be an affectionate look back at [The Office] on this big anniversary”.
Meanwhile, the BBC’s Mackenzie Crook and Martin Freeman Remember… The Office will arrive on BBC Two and iPlayer on Wednesday 8 July at 10pm. Gervais’s The Office co-creator Stephen Merchant will also be absent from the one-off show.
While Gervais became one of the UK’s best-loved stars thanks to BBC projects including The Office, Afterlife and Extras – all penned with Merchant – the star has favoured working with other broadcasters in recent years.
Another of his hit comedies, Derek, aired on Channel 4 and the comedian has also released numerous stand-up specials on Netflix, as well as creating Alley Cats for the streaming service.
Speaking in 2019, Gervais insisted he was “still a fan” of the BBC, but admitted he wished the broadcaster “was braver”.
“I wish it wouldn’t bow down to pressure from media or from one complaint,” he told GQ. “That has got worse, and the days are gone when people say, ‘We’re leaving it as it is’. Commissioning editors are scared of being fired.”
His comments came after the BBC retrospectively added content warnings for “discriminatory language” on some episodes of The Office on iPlayer.
