Ricky Gervais has walked back on comments he made during an interview with the BBC, stating that he was misquoted while saying that the UK version of ‘The Office’ would be cancelled if it aired today.
The British actor and comedian, who headlined the popular TV mockumentary that continues to draw in viewers today through its US version that is still available on several streaming platforms, had spoken to the BBC on Friday where he said that the evolving standards of comedy would have doomed his series in the 2020s.
”I mean now it would be canceled,” he said. “I’m looking forward to when they pick out one thing and try to cancel it”
However, following the uproar, Gervais put out a series of tweets to clarify his stance on the issue.
“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,” he tweeted.
The actor continued further: “There’s a weird myth that I whine about being censored or cancelled. That’s [expletive]. I get final edit on the biggest platforms in the world getting more viewers and tickets sold than ever. I get a bit of grief sometimes from people who don’t like my stuff but who gives a [expletive]?”
‘The Office’, which ran from 2001 to 2003 across two seasons, sparked a version in the US as well that was headlined by Steve Carell, along with featuring celebrities such as John Krasinski and Mindy Kaling.
Meanwhile, Gervais has long moved on from ‘The Office’ with his Netflix series ‘After Life’, now in season three, earning him award nominations and accolades.
In his latest tweet, Gervais thanked his fans for making the series a hit around the world. “Thanks for all the lovely reviews and award nominations for #AfterLife over the past couple of years, but thanks even more to the millions people who made it the most watched British comedy in the world.”
