Ricky Gervais has his fame thanks to David Brent, the completely incompetent boss he played on the original U.K. version of The Office, which he created with Stephen Merchant. Now that he’s revived the character, he has said that Netflix and the BBC may be interested in giving David Brent his own show.
Gervais, who recently appeared in Muppets Most Wanted, is currently touring the U.K. as David Brent with the band Foregone Conclusion. There’s been speculation that he may even play Glastonbury. He told the Radio Times that it “could happen,” explaining, “It would be amazing for Ricky Gervais but I don’t know if I can justify David Brent playing Glastonbury because David Brent can’t become a real pop star. He can’t play venues outside the story.”
In other words, David Brent playing Glastonbury wouldn't make sense for a character who is supposed to be a failure (even if he thinks he isn’t).
Gervais grew interested in David Brent again after reviving him for last year’s Britain’s Comic Relief Charity show. As for future projects, he revealed that Netflix and the BBC are interested in something, but he doesn’t want to do it just for the sake of doing it.
“I can’t just do it as a vanity project or because the BBC and Netflix are up for anything I do,” he told the Radio Times, notes The Hollywood Reporter. “I don’t know whether to do an on-the-road special or make that the whole series.”
The BBC and Netflix haven’t commented. Netflix carries Gervais’ original The Office episodes, which also included two Christmas specials. The show ended 11 years ago.