Ricky Gervais Shuts Down Rumor About Replacing Steve Carell on ‘The Office’

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In the TV series The Office, audiences were first introduced to Michael Scott, portrayed by Steve Carell as the “World’s Best Boss.” However, when Carell departed after Season 7, there was a need for a new regional manager at Dunder Mifflin. At one point, Ricky Gervais, who co-created the original British series and played its character David Brent, was speculated to replace Scott. In an interview marking The Office’s 20th anniversary, Gervais clarified his potential involvement in the American adaptation of the show, effectively ending a longstanding rumor.

In an interview with The Independent, Ricky Gervais clarified misconceptions about his alleged failed audition for “The Office” after Steve Carell’s departure. Contrary to popular belief, Gervais was indeed approached to reprise his role as David Brent in the U.S. adaptation. However, conversations during the recruitment process for a new boss were mistakenly blown out of proportion. Gervais explained that he was asked to apply for the position in character as Brent, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he was seriously considered for the role of the new Dunder Mifflin head honcho.

It seems that at some point, there may have been an attempt to reach out to someone at NBC, although it’s unclear whether this happened or if it was primarily a matter of media coverage and the show’s audience.

In the eighth season of The Office, it was eventually Ferrell who replaced Carell as Deangelo Vickers, a manager known for his ineptness, even more so than Michael Scott. During the last two seasons, characters like Creed (Creed Bratton), Andy Bernard (Ed Helms), and Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) temporarily took on the role of regional manager. When Gervais didn’t take over from Scott, there were whispers among fans that he had flunked his audition for a spin-off series. However, Gervais set the record straight by stating otherwise.

Later on, when I wasn’t involved, they claimed that Ricky had auditioned but didn’t land the role. However, that’s merely a fabrication.

Ricky Gervais Thinks American Fans Don’t Know About the British ‘The Office’

Although numerous American adaptations of British sitcoms often fall short (such as The I.T. Crowd and The Inbetweeners), The Office stood out as an exceptional achievement, eventually ranking among the most successful sitcoms ever produced. The American adaptation, being so popular, has eclipsed the original British version according to its creator Ricky Gervais. “I suppose many Americans are unaware of the English show,” he commented. Yet, he’s not resentful about the US version outshining the original because “the advantage is, I receive credit for both.” Despite its success, he still regards the American remake as a “superb cover version.

In a continuation of life’s constants, another American reboot of “The Office” is on its way. This time around, the documentary crew will be capturing the story of a Midwestern newspaper trying to stay afloat. Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impecciatore are set to headline this new series, but there’s no word yet if any of the original cast members from both UK or US versions will make an appearance in the reboot.

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2025-03-25 15:31