Ricky Gervais has announced a new special to mark the 25th anniversary of The Office.
The classic BBC sitcom, which Gervais wrote with Stephen Merchant, launched the careers of much of its cast and spawned a successful US version of the show.
The new special, which will feature the actor and comedian’s “personal selection of 25 standout David Brent moments from the show that catapulted his career”, will be released on 8 July on Gervais’s YouTube channel.
“Stripped back, no frills and intentionally understated, each moment is presented by Gervais himself, with the stories and context that only he can provide,” the synopsis teases.
It also promises “exclusive and never-before-told stories including inspiration behind iconic lines, scenes that nearly couldn’t be filmed due to uncontrollable laughter on set, and Ricky’s personal insight into the mind of one of the most legendary characters in British comedy history”.
Want to see this content?
This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose ‘Accept and continue’ to allow YouTube and its required purposes.
Alongside the special, the actor’s YouTube channel will also become home to 25 years of archive footage, spanning The Office, Netflix series After Life – which was recently voted Britain’s best modern comedy by Radio Times readers – and his stand-up shows.
Gervais, who has been hosting regular Sunday evening live streams on the channel and discussing topics with fans ranging from AI in comedy to veganism, said in a statement: “I’m absolutely loving building my YouTube channel.
“It’s the best way to interact with my wonderful fans without leaving the house and actually bumping into any of those weirdos.”
The BBC previously announced it is marking the 25th anniversary of the show with a special episode of Remembers – the retrospective series celebrating some of TV’s most popular and influential programmes.
Remember… The Office, which will reunite Martin Freeman (Tim) and Mackenzie Crook (Gareth) as they revisit the show, is set to air on Wednesday 8 July at 10pm on BBC Two and iPlayer.
Want to see this content?
This page contains content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose ‘Accept and continue’ to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.
Ricky Gervais’s David Brent retrospective will be released on 8 July on Gervais’s YouTube channel.
Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
