The beloved BBC sitcom The Office celebrates its 25th anniversary. To mark the occasion, actors Martin Freeman and Mackenzie Crook are reuniting for a BBC documentary, while co-creator Ricky Gervais releases a retrospective special on his YouTube channel. Here are 25 things you might not know about the show.
1. Martin Freeman Could Have Played Gareth
Freeman originally auditioned for the role of Gareth Keenan, which went to Crook. He only read for Tim Canterbury after leaving the audition, as Gervais asked him to. The rest is history.
2. The Staring Janitor Is Family
The mute caretaker who stands and stares at the camera is co-creator Stephen Merchant's dad, Ron. Merchant said they put him in because they thought he had a funny face.
3. Copy That
Every episode includes a shot from the exact same angle of a whirring photocopier making copies.
4. Ratings Were So Bad, the Show Was Nearly Cancelled
When The Office aired in summer 2001, viewing numbers were low. Executive producer Jon Plowman said audiences were rotten, but a repeat within months doubled the figures. Gervais recalled the first series got the lowest ever BBC focus group score, joint bottom with women's bowls which had been rained off.
5. Olivia Colman Showed Her Star Quality
Colman's cameo as journalist Helena from Inside Paper was one of her first TV appearances. She kept a straight face while Brent said lines like: 'I don't go around using chicks and shit.'
6. The Canadian Boss Is Named After Gervais
The show has been remade in 16 territories. In the Mexican version, the boss is Jerónimo Ponce III. In the Canadian French-language edition, the manager is called David Gervais, in homage to Ricky.
7. One Scene Took 74 Takes
The record number of takes was for Tim's appraisal with David Brent, because Freeman and Gervais kept corpsing. Gervais changed his delivery every take, and Freeman struggled to cope. Another scene requiring many takes involved Big Keith biting into a scotch egg; actor Ewen MacIntosh went through two multipacks.
8. Nessa from Gavin & Stacey Was Almost Dawn
Casting director Rachel Freck told Esquire in 2021 that they saw Ruth Jones for Dawn. She had just done East is East and was a possibility.
9. Staff Training Day Is a Standout
Both Gervais and MacIntosh named the staff training episode as their favourite. The late Matthew Perry praised it as 'possibly the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life'.
10. The Cast Could Have Been Non-Actors
Gervais and Merchant originally planned to tour the UK and find real people for supporting parts. Merchant said they realized real people are terrible actors, so they didn't.
11. Cat Stevens Almost Sang the Theme Tune
Merchant wanted Cat Stevens' song Sitting for the theme, but Stevens' people wouldn't allow it or it was too expensive. They also considered The Logical Song by Supertramp before settling on Handbags and Gladrags performed by Big George.
12. Brent and Jennifer Had History
Speculative backstories included big boss Jennifer Taylor-Clarke being old college friends with Brent, explaining why she put up with him. The co-writers also theorized Brent worked his way up at Wernham Hogg.
13. Gareth Is Actually a Child
Gervais said the show portrays men as boys, and Gareth is based on a bloke he went to school with, stuck as an adolescent. He had a list of 50 ludicrous things the kid told him, like cannibals showing pornographic pictures to get an erection for more meat.
14. The BBC Is Full of Brents
When producer Plowman questioned how Brent could keep his job, Gervais replied: 'Let's take a walk around the BBC, shall we?'
15. Pinocchio Nose Mime Was Pivotal
The series opening scene came from a real temp agency interview Gervais attended at 17. The recruiter did the Pinocchio nose mime while lying on the phone. Gervais used the same mime in the show, which convinced Plowman to produce it.
16. Des'ree Lyric Was Nod to a Local Lass
The lyric pinned up by Brent's desk is from Des'ree's Crazy Maze; she grew up in Slough. When Stuart Foot asks about it, Brent sings an awkward verse.
17. There Were 30 Staplers in Jelly
Props master Matt Wyles made about 30 jellies with staplers for the scene where Tim puts Gareth's stapler in jelly. He had to make them in his house share kitchen the night before and keep them in the communal fridge.
18. German Doppelganger Sparked a Lawsuit
In 2004, Germany's ProSieben made Stromberg, set at an insurance company. The BBC threatened legal action, and an agreement gave Gervais and Merchant an 'inspired by' credit. Gervais joked it's not like the Germans to just march in and take something.
19. Tim Is a 21st-Century Oliver Hardy
Tim's fourth-wall-breaking was inspired by Oliver Hardy. When Crook did something idiotic, Merchant would shout 'Do Oliver Hardy!' and Freeman would give an exasperated look. Gervais said The Office is basically a room full of Laurels and one Hardy, Tim.
20. Gareth's Hair Was a Dealbreaker
Casting director Freck's notes on Crook read: 'Very understated, very funny and inventive. Consistent. I think he could do it. Haircut?' After the second round: 'Cast. Hair clause.' Crook reportedly went to a barbershop and asked for 'the worst haircut you can think of'.
21. Forklift Driver Bookended the First Series
In the debut episode, Brent hires a forklift driver; in episode six, he fires the same man, played by Neil Fitzmaurice, but the meeting is derailed by a discussion of whether elves exist.
22. Brent's Dance Was Made Up on the Spot
Gervais and Merchant say 95% was scripted, but Brent's dance was improvised. Gervais said he just went berserk for 30 seconds, then had to sit down for 30 minutes.
23. Ashley Jensen Was Heard but Not Seen
The voice of the unseen BBC interviewer in the 2003 Christmas specials belongs to Ashley Jensen, who later co-starred with Gervais in Extras.
24. It Was Nearly Narrated by John Nettles
The pilot episode had a voiceover by John Nettles of Bergerac fame. Editor Nigel Williams said it was very crude compared to what it ended up being.
25. Mic Drop Moment
Gervais and Merchant's favourite moment is when Tim takes off his microphone at the end of series two and tells Dawn how he feels, but we never hear what is said. Merchant said it was a perfect use of the fake documentary style.
