Will Ricky Gervais Join ‘The Office’?

It’s been a month or so since Steve Carell announced that he would be leaving ‘The Office’ at the end of next season. The show’s producers are trying to figure out how to replace him and one idea is bringing Ricky Gervais on. Gervais starred as David Brent in the original British version of the show, and had the same role on the show that Carrell’s Michael Scott does.

Gervais himself doesn’t seem keen on it, saying “As I would say, ‘Why would I get up at 6 a.m. five days a week for seven years when I can hire someone else to do that and still get my syndication money?'” However, NBC apparently loves the idea and the showrunners are open to it, though they seem to be hoping that Carell will change his mind. “I don’t want Steve to go, and if he decides he wants to stay, I will be very happy with that,” executive producer Paul Lieberstein says.