WHEN The Office first aired 22 years ago, few could have imagined a show about a group of workers at a paper company in Slough would become such a cult classic.
The comedy, written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, who met while working at XFM radio station, is now one of Britain’s most successful exports.
The Office is celebrating its 20th anniversary
Its remarkable success even inspired a US version, starring Steve Carrell and John Krasinski, which also became a ratings winner.
While Gervais and Merchant went on to pen some of the Noughties’ most successful comedies, including Extras and An Idiot Abroad, they haven’t worked together since 2013, citing creative differences.
Meanwhile some members of The Office cast have gone on to crack Hollywood.
But it hasn’t all been a bed of roses, as we reveal…
Ricky Gervais (David Brent)
As well as co-creating the show Ricky Gervais, 62, starred as cringe-worthy office manager David Brent – a role that catapulted him to global fame and netted him a slew of awards.
He went on to be a successful stand-up comedian and has appeared in Hollywood blockbusters Ghost Town and Night at the Museum.
In 2016 he resumed his Office role in the movie David Brent: Life on the Road, but it failed to impress fans and critics.
He also created and appeared in award-winning comedies Extras, Derek and After Life.
Since creating David Brent and The Office, Ricky Gervais has become a Hollywood star
Ricky created and starred in Netflix’s hit comedy After Life
Ricky sparked controversy when he hosted the Golden Globes in 2020 with a monologue including jokes about actors being hypocrites and awards voters being racist.
He also provoked anger among the LGBT community because of jokes about transgender people in his latest Netflix show.
He is a huge advocate for animal rights and lives in London with his partner of almost 40 years, TV producer Jane Fallon, 62, and is said to be worth £100million.
Ricky has vowed not to bring The Office back saying that seeing David at 60 would be “just sad”.
Stephen Merchant (Oggy)
Stephen Merchant co-created The Office and has since written many other shows
Like Ricky, Stephen has found fame in Hollywood films such as Jojo Rabbit
Stephen Merchant, 48, appeared in one episode of The Office as a character named Nathan ‘Oggy’ aka The Oggmonster.
His dad Ron also appeared in several episodes as Gordon, the Office’s handyman.
Merchant co-created the TV show Lip Sync Battle and the US sitcom Hello Ladies and appeared in movies Jojo Rabbit and Logan.
He played serial killer Stephen Port in BBC One‘s Four Lives and created and directed the film The Offenders.
He lives in LA with American actress Mircea Monroe in a multi-million pound LA home previously owned by talk show legend Ellen DeGeneres.
Stephen still regularly makes trips to the UK and credits technology for helping to keep their relationship alive when he’s away.
Martin Freeman (Tim Canterbury)
Martin Freeman is now a bonafide Hollywood star and has appeared in some of the most successful blockbusters
Martin Freeman, 51, portrayed hapless romantic sales rep Tim, who had a long-standing crush on receptionist Dawn (Lucy Davis).
Speaking of his time on The Office, Martin said: “It was the show that made the difference between people knowing who I was and not – people on buses, people on the street, and people in the industry. It meant that I had to audition a lot less.”
He went on to appear in Sherlock, The Hobbit film trilogy, Fargo, Love Actually, and Captain America.
Martin’s hot streak continued with a huge role in superhero movie Black Panther and its sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – put together, the movies he has starred in have grossed over £1billion and netted him a reported £15.3million.
He’s won rave reviews for his latest role as angry dad Paul Worsley in the dark comedy Breeders, a show he created.
It was rumoured that a feud with his Sherlock co-star led to the end of the series after Benedict Cumberbatch labelled him “pathetic”.
The showbiz world was shocked when dad-of-two Martin split from actress Amanda Abbington in 2016, after 16 years.
Martin lives in London and is now believed to be dating actress Rachel Mariam – 22 years his junior.
Lucy Davis (Dawn Tinsley)
Lucy played bored receptionist Dawn
Lucy now lives in LA and is mega into fitness
Lucy Davis, 50, played the bored receptionist Dawn who fancied sales rep Tim, despite being engaged to childhood sweetheart Lee.
Lucy, daughter of Brummie comedian Jasper Carrott, moved to LA after the show ended, picking up a string of supporting acting roles in the likes of Ugly Betty and the Shaun of the Dead movie.
Her big break came in 2017 as Etta Candy in Wonder Woman, which led to her starring in the Netflix series The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
She wed actor Owain Yeoman in 2006 but they divorced in 2018 and she is now thought to be single.
Lucy battled bulimia and underwent a kidney transplant in 1997. She suffered kidney failure for the second time in 2005.
In 2021 she was rushed to hospital with Covid-19-like symptoms, only to be admitted with another virus.
She now has a glamorous life in LA where she spends her time soaking in the Californian sun and hanging out with her celeb pals.
Lucy is now mega into fitness and often shares videos of her workouts online.
Mackenzie Crook (Gareth Keenan)
Mackenzie Crook credits The Office as his ‘lucky break’
He has been in award-winning shows and films, including Pirates of the Caribbean
Mackenzie Crook, 51, played irritating salesman Gareth who was often the victim of Tim’s pranks.
The character was based on a boy Ricky was with at school when he was 14.
Speaking about his role in The Office, Mackenzie said: “I’m happy to call The Office my incredibly lucky break… I don’t mind if people point and laugh at me.”
He has enjoyed a varied career, landing roles in the Pirates of the Caribbean blockbusters, and wrote and directed BAFTA-winning BBC Four comedy Detectorists.
In 2021 he wrote, directed and starred in Worzel Gummidge.
Mackenzie has previously admitted to feeling uncomfortable with fame, saying, “I had a neck injury, and the doctor reckoned it was a ten-year-old injury, and I couldn’t think of anything specific that I had done.
“I wondered whether it could be 10 years of hiding under a baseball cap.”
Mackenzie lives in London with his wife Lindsay and their two children.
Ralph Ineson (Chris Finch)
Ralph Ineson has grown ‘tired’ of being referred to as Finchy over the years
One of his most famous roles was in Chernobyl
Ralph Ineson, 53, played Wernham Hogg’s most unlikable staff member Finchy – a misogynist loud-mouth who was rude to everyone.
But he has admitted: “To say I’m tired of every part I’ve played for the last 20 years being cross-referenced with Finchy would be an understatement.”
Ralph has picked up roles in Coronation Street, Spooks, Playing the Field and drama Chernobyl, and appeared in three Harry Potter movies and 2015’s The Witch.
His distinctive Yorkshire accent has also landed him some lucrative voiceover gigs, narrating shows like Licence to Drill, Salvage Hunters and Inside Gatwick.
He lives in London with his wife Ali and two children.
Ewen MacIntosh (Keith Bishop)
Ewan ran into financial trouble and filed for bankruptcy
In 2016, he was declared bankrupt and has been charging fans £45 for video shout-outs
Accountant Keith was a man of few words who enjoyed munching on Scotch eggs and could do a top Ali G impression.
But actor Ewen MacIntosh, 49, has struggled to secure roles since the show ended and was even snubbed for a job that wanted ‘a Keith from The Office’.
Other than that he’s had small parts in EastEnders, Miranda, Little Britain, Casualty and The Lobster movie, and appeared on Pointless and Come Dine With Me.
In 2016 he was declared bankrupt, owing thousands to the taxman.
During the coronavirus lockdown, he started charging £45 to give fans a video shout-out.
He told The Celeb Report he’s “incredibly proud” of The Office, adding; “It changed my life. Twenty years later I’m still acting, and I’m still mates with Ricky.
“We’ve kept in touch over the years. And I will be appearing with him in series 3 of After Life.”
Stirling Gallacher (Jennifer Taylor-Clarke)
Stirling Gallacher has gone on to star in Doctors, Corrie and Casualty
Stirling is an upholsterer away from her acting career
General manager Jennifer Taylor-Clarke was the posh office totty who Brent nicknamed Camilla Parker-Bowles.
Stirling Gallacher, 52, previously told how she had an IT job at the BBC when she got the The Office role, and “after a day filming, I’d go back to my real job”.
Afterwards she spent six years in Doctors and married on-screen hubby Seán Gleeson.
She played Sophie Webster’s love interest Paula Martin in Coronation Street and police officer Ffion Morgan in Casualty.
Away from acting she is also an upholsterer, and lives in Stroud, Gloucestershire.
Joel Beckett (Lee)
Joel Beckett has chosen a more private life than some others
Joel, 49, played Dawn’s working-class fiancé Lee, who often mistreated her.
In 2004 he hot-footed over to EastEnders to play ladies’ man Jake Moon for two years, then made a brief appearance on Coronation Street.
His last known acting role was in the 2018 Brit Horror flick The Snarling.
He currently resides in Norfolk.
Patrick Baladi (Neil Godwin)
After The Office, Patrick Baladi went on to star in many TV shows
Patrick played a dodgy lawyer in Line of Duty
Patrick Baladi, 51, played Swindon branch manager Neil, who, after a company merger, became David Brent’s boss.
He has portrayed Dodi Al-Fayed in the TV movie Diana: Last Days of a Princess and appeared in comedy Stella, as well as dramas Line of Duty and Marcella.
The star, from the West Midlands, turned down the offer to appear on Strictly Come Dancing on two separate occasions.
He currently plays recording studio boss Darren in Breeders, the comedy created by Martin Freeman.
Patrick is in the band Grow Up with his best pal Keith Allen and has played Glastonbury.
He also runs an antiques store in Stroud, Gloucestershire.
