Ricky Gervais recently marked the 25th anniversary of the British sitcom *The Office* with a video highlighting the 25 best moments of his character, David Brent. However, the video, posted on Gervais’s YouTube channel, attracted criticism for omitting any mention of Stephen Merchant, who co-created the series alongside Gervais.

Fans and observers quickly took to social media to note Merchant’s absence, with numerous comments expressing disappointment and calling for recognition of his contributions. On X, one user pointed out the irony, referencing Gervais’s reputation for pushing boundaries in comedy while seemingly avoiding mention of Merchant. Similar sentiments appeared in the comments on the video, with viewers urging Gervais to acknowledge his longtime collaborator.

A source close to Gervais responded to the backlash, stating there is “absolutely no bad blood” between the two. The source suggested that Gervais’s video was intended to reflect his personal favorite moments of David Brent, rather than serve as a comprehensive retrospective of the show as a whole. “As far as he was concerned it is safer to speak for yourself with those things,” the source explained.

In contrast, Stephen Merchant emphasized the collaborative nature of *The Office* in an interview clip shared on social media. Merchant described the creative process as a joint effort, noting that he and Gervais spent significant time working together in the same room, brainstorming, improvising, and refining material. He recalled their shared ambition to create a show that would be their “favourite thing.”

Merchant also shared a previously unseen pre-pilot clip in which he appears briefly as one of David Brent’s employees. Although best known for his writing and producing roles, Merchant made a small on-screen appearance in the series as Nathan, a friend of Gareth’s known as “Oggy” or “The Oggmonster.”

Gervais and Merchant, both 51, have maintained a longstanding professional relationship spanning multiple projects across radio, television, and podcasts. They initially worked together at X FM before collaborating on *The Office*, which has since been recognized as a groundbreaking and influential sitcom.