People loved The Office, which was a big problem,” says Ricky Gervais in an exclusive interview with The Independent, recalling the unusual but flattering issue facing its much-loved American counterpart, which turns 20 today. “All of the people who knew The Office, loved The Office, and they were the industry. People were assuming [the remake] was going to be hated.”
When it comes to bringing British telly to the US, the track record hasn’t been great. Blighty classics such as Spaced, The Vicar of Dibley, This Country and even Taskmaster have each had a punt at Stateside success; all were swiftly and unceremoniously cancelled. So when Gervais and The Office co-creator Stephen Merchant got a call from TV producer Ben Silverman saying he wanted to adapt their drab workplace mockumentary for an American crowd, expectations were immediately low.
