Ricky Gervais clarifies comments on The Office getting ‘cancelled’: ‘Clearly a joke’

It’s been 20 years since series started airing in UK

Ricky Gervais has clarified comments he made about the possibility of The Office getting “cancelled” if it were made today.

The comedian said the remarks were “clearly a joke”.

They originally appeared in an interview with the BBC, in which he was quoted as saying of the show: “I mean now it would be cancelled.

“I’m looking forward to when they pick out one thing and try to cancel it. Someone said they might try to cancel it one day, and I say, ‘Good let them cancel it. I've been paid!’”

As noted by the BBC, Gervais then offered further comments on Twitter, where he wrote: “Just to be clear, I did not say The Office would be cancelled if it were made today. That makes no sense. It's still around.

“This is my actual quote. ‘Someone said they might try to cancel it one day, and I said, ‘Good, let them cancel it. I've been paid!’’ Clearly a joke.”

It has been 20 years since The Office began airing in the UK. The sitcom lasted for two series between 2001 and 2003 and led to several international adaptations, including the US version starring Steve Carell.

Click here to read our oral history of the show.