What does Ricky Gervais think about taking over for Steve Carell on NBC's 'The Office'?

  Yeah, yeah: we want him to take over, but what does Ricky Gervais think about it?

By now, everyone knows that Steve Carell will be leaving the safety and security of his place as the lead on NBC's The Office for the bright, shining lights of Hollywood after the series' upcoming seventh season.  For weeks, fans of the show have been debating who should take over for Carell when he leaves the show, and the suggestions have been all over the map.  One suggestion that's come up time and time again, however, is Ricky Gervais: he's the guy who created The Office in the first place, and many consider his take on Michael Scott (named David Brent in the British version) the best version of the character.  So, how does Ricky Gervais feel about taking over Dunder-Mifflin, perhaps in the form of a resurrection of his David Brent character?  Find out below, my gentle Examiner readers...

There's been no end to the speculation over who'll take over for Steve Carell when he leaves The Office at the end of the show's upcoming seventh season.  We've heard rumors that Dwight would take over, or Pam, even Creed has been mentioned as a possible candidate.  One name that's come up over and over again, however, is Ricky Gervias' David Brent.  The character-- which Gervais played on the original, British version of The Office-- is beloved by many (except his fictional employees), and that'd certainly be a casting coup for NBC.  But what does Gervais have to say about it?  Typically, it's something hilarious:

There are still articles appearing about me taking over from Steve Carell on the American version of The Office. Maybe I haven't made it clear enough. I suppose it doesn't matter what I say for the world of entertainment news, so let's try a new approach.

Report one of the following...

I am definitely taking over from Steve Carell on The Office. Yes, I have been asked to take over as the new boss at Dunder Mifflin. I said yes. They made me an offer I just couldn't refuse. I will once again play David Brent and I take over next season. I can't wait. Steve Merchant and I will also write and direct. I will remain Executive Producer.

or...

I'm not taking over from Steve Carell and will just continue to make millions for doing f-ck all because I created the show and all the characters, and own the format and it's being syndicated now and I get paid every time any episode of any version is played anywhere in the world, and I stopped my version at its height and I don't think I can improve on that, and I don't want to go back to that and get up at 6am every day of the week for 7 years.

Only one of these is true. I don't know which one to believe. What would you do if you were me?

That's directly from the horse's mouth, folks.  My guess is, Gervais isn't taking the first option.  But maybe they're just trying to throw us off the scent, and in the very last scene of the seventh season finale, Brent will come bounding into the Dunder-Mifflin offices, perhaps breaking out a little of his glorious dance routine or playing "Free Love on The Free Love Freeway".  Or maybe that's just wishful thinking, and NBC's just going to replace Carell with Leno. 

On a related note, I'd like to make the following public service announcement: if you haven't already downloaded any of the Ricky Gervais Show podcasts, allow me to bully you into doing so now.  After watching HBO's awesome animated version of the show, I was inspired to finally start listening to everyone that had told me to download these podcasts over the past few years.  Turns out, they're absolutely hysterical, and worth every penny.  I downloaded about 12 hours' worth of the shows off iTunes, and I highly suggest-- if you're a fan of laughter, things that are funny, or Ricky Gervais-- that you head on over to the iTunes store right now and buy the lot of them.  The Ricky Gervais Show is, simply put, comedic brilliance.  It's just a shame that there's not a steady, unending stream of shows to listen to: I've already gone through the entire run twice, and I'm fiending for more.

Anyhow, stay tuned for more on the ongoing Office drama as it becomes available, folks.  We'll be keeping you updated with news on who'll replace Steve Carell as soon as it arrives, so hit the "Subscribe" button up top if you're worried about missing out on the next article.  You'll also get all the other shenanigans we produce here at Comedy Examiner HQ, including funny videos, news, reviews, interviews, recaps, photos, and more.  Why, just look at all the fun you've been missing out on recently:

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(photos: top--usweekly.com, middle--hbo.com, bottom--fanpop.com)