A clay sculpture of David Brent, the iconic character played by Ricky Gervais, has been unveiled at a Premier Inn in Slough to commemorate the 25th anniversary of The Office UK's television debut. The artwork, created on behalf of Premier Inn, is displayed at the hotel on Slough Trading Estate, which now occupies the site of Crossbow House—the building whose exterior was used as Wernham Hogg in the show's opening credits.
Installation and Creation
The sculpture was unveiled by Brent lookalike Tim Oliver, who recreated the character's iconic pose and performed some of his trademark dance routines. The bust, crafted by artist Gareth Knowles, took 120 hours to complete and weighs seven kilograms. It will be a permanent installation at the site.
A spokesperson for Premier Inn said: "We're thrilled to unveil this brilliant tribute to mark its place in British comedy history. Ricky's iconic character truly put Slough on the map, and it's only fitting to honour him with this memorable statue, which we hope will be particularly popular with some of the millions of business travellers who stay with us each year."
Historical Context
Crossbow House was demolished in 2013 and redeveloped into a Premier Inn a few years later. The hotel now stands where the fictional Wernham Hogg paper merchant once operated. The much-loved sitcom charted David Brent's journey from regional manager to roaming sales representative.
The hotel chain also commissioned a survey of 2,000 adults, which revealed that David Brent's Comic Relief dance was the standout moment from the series, securing 26% of votes. Dawn returning to the Christmas party to kiss Tim in the festive episode came second with 15%.
Cultural Impact
Nearly three-quarters of viewers who tuned into the programme regard it as a nostalgic glimpse of workplace culture in the early 2000s, though 68% admitted they wouldn't want to work in an environment like Wernham Hogg. The Premier Inn spokesperson added: "From tech to business attire, office life has changed drastically in the 25 years since the show aired but what hasn't changed is the need for business travellers to know what they're getting with a great night's sleep in a comfortable room ready to face the day – no matter how embarrassing their boss is."
