Martin Freeman and Mackenzie Crook are set to reunite for a new BBC special marking 25 years of The Office.
The pair, who played Tim Canterbury and Gareth Keenan in the original UK sitcom, will look back on the show in Mackenzie Crook and Martin Freeman Remember…The Office, which will air on BBC Two and iPlayer on Wednesday July 8 at 10pm.
According to the BBC, the show will mark the first time the two actors will have seen each other in more than 15 years, and it will see them sharing personal memories and behind-the-scenes stories from the making of the show, as well as reflecting on its influence and legacy.
Among the stories featured will be how Freeman initially auditioned to play Gareth before ultimately being cast as Tim, and how Crook came to embrace one of British TV’s most memorably terrible haircuts.
Mackenzie Crook and Martin Freeman are reuniting to celebrate 25 years of The Office!
Sharing personal memories, behind the scenes stories, and how to embrace one of TV's worst-ever haircuts, join them on Wednesday 8 July on @BBCiPlayer
Details https://t.co/6MUwMOmRdX pic.twitter.com/KJDmE8vB3Y
— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) June 25, 2026
Created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, The Office first debuted on BBC Two on July 9, 2001, following the employees of Slough paper merchant Wernham Hogg. It ran for two seasons, as well as a two-part Christmas special, ending in December 2003. All episodes are currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
The series went on to become one of the most influential British sitcoms of all time, helping to popularise the mockumentary comedy format and inspiring numerous international adaptations.
The anniversary special arrives after Steve Carell recently reflected on auditioning for the US version of The Office, revealing that Paul Rudd had warned him against going for the role of Michael Scott.
“Don’t do it, man. Don’t audition,” Carell recalled Rudd telling him, adding that many people thought the American remake was a bad idea at the time. The US version eventually ran for nine seasons and became one of the most successful sitcoms of its era.
Not every adaptation has had the same longevity. Last year, the Australian version of The Office, starring Felicity Ward as Hannah Howard, was cancelled by Prime Video after one season.
The wider universe has also continued with The Paper, the US spin-off from The Office co-creator Greg Daniels and Michael Koman. The series follows the same documentary crew as they turn their attention to a struggling Midwestern newspaper, with Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore among the cast and Oscar Nuñez reprising his role as Oscar Martinez.
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