It was a show with a simple premise, set in a Slough workplace, and it's still one of the UK's most famous sitcoms some two decades after its release.
The Office was the brainchild of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and it won over audiences almost immediately. Since its BBC Two broadcast The Office has developed into a multi award-winning international franchise with remakes in 10 different countries.
The most notable of these is the US version, Wales Online reports, where Slough's Wernham Hogg becomes the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, and the office is managed by Steve Carell. The US Office lasted a whopping nine series, compared with the original which consisted of just 14 episodes.
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The show propelled a number of its cast members to fame and huge success, not least David Brent actor Ricky Gervais who is now a global star as a comedian, writer, producer and director. Dawn actress Lucy Davis hit headlines this week as she shared a new look with fans after embracing a healthier lifestyle. Lucy, daughter of comedian Jasper Carrott, now lives in LA and has been working out with her broke Jake, who is a personal trainer.
Not long after The Office finished, Lucy moved to Hollywood and has had various TV roles in America. She starred as Aunt Hilda in The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina before landing a role in the 2017 Wonder Woman movie as Etta Candy.
The star has previously opened up about battles with bulimia. Her illness led to her joining Overeaters Anonymous – and Lucy has since said she accepts her body "for what it is". Her latest Instagram update showed Lucy, 49, with a slim frame as she worked out at home. Captioning the post she said: "5lb single arm deadlifts. I can’t get up from my chair. Send help #weightlifting #strengthtraining #womenlifting @jakebodyupgrade."
Lucy will star in short film Teller Number Four, as well as tv series Kick this year. Here we take a look at what the rest of the Office cast have been up to since the show finished in 2003.
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais became a household name almost overnight when The Office aired. In December 2005, he launched podcast The Ricky Gervais Show featuring himself and Stephen Merchant, and introducing Karl Pilkington to the world.
In July that year, Gervais' second show Extras aired on the BBC and featured a whole host of famous guests. Kate Winslet, Samuel L Jackson and Vinnie Jones are just some of those who appeared and the show won rave reviews.
Since then, Ricky has gone on to write, direct and star in a number of Hollywood films, as well as hosting the Golden Globes. His latest programme Afterlife had audiences in tears at its comic yet emotional scenes.
Martin Freeman
Martin Freeman has come a long way since playing shy but loveable Tim Canterbury in The Office. Not long after the show finished, he played John in Love Actually before having roles in a number of other top UK films.
Since then, Martin has won over a global audience, with roles in The Hobbit, and played a great Dr Watson in British crime drama Sherlock. His most recent role as Chris in The Responder also saw him do a pretty good Scouse accent.
Mackenzie Crook
The Office was not the first TV project Mackenzie Crook collaborated with Ricky Gervais on – having previously appeared on The 11 O'Clock Show – but it was certainly the one that helped establish him on the comedy scene. Since rising to fame as assistant (to the) regional manager Gareth Keenan, Crook has featured in much-loved films including Tintin, Muppets Most Wanted as well as the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise as Ragetti.
Crook has also found further success on the small screen, playing Orell in Game of Thrones, Johnny White in Skins and Andy Stone in Detectorists, which he also wrote and directed. In recent years, the Office star has directed and starred in the BBC reboot of Worzel Gummidge.
Ralph Ineson
Ralph Ineson's misogynistic, repulsive and offensive travelling sales rep Chris Finch was probably the most unpleasant character in The Office, but that did not stop Brent from idolising him and his humour.
Since the show wrapped, Ineson has made regular appearances on the big screen, including cameos in Harry Potter, Kingsman, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars and Ready Player One He has also continued his TV career, most notably playing Dagmer Cleftjaw in Game of Thrones, Connor Nutley in Peaky Blinders, Nikolai Tarakanov in Chernobyl and DCI Alex Boyd in The Capture.
Ineson's current projects include Gunpowder Milkshake, The Tragedy of Macbeth and the upcoming film version of Everybody's Talking About Jamie. And recently he has appeared in widely-adored ITV cop drama Trigger Point as Commander Bregman.
Stirling Gallacher
Playing general manager Jennifer Taylor-Clarke, Stirling Gallacher was the competent and professional antithesis of Gervais' Brent. She went on to play the prime minister's wife in Little Britain and Dr Georgina Woodson in Doctors for more than 1,000 episodes.
More recently, Gallacher has appeared in The Festival, sitcom White Gold and Casualty, in which she played police officer Ffion Morgan. She has also had a stint on the famous cobbles of Coronation Street as Sophie Webster's love interest Paula Martin.
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