The Office UK ending explained: What happens to David Brent? 

The Office UK (2001-2003) follows the entertainingly mundane lives of employees at Wernham Hogg Paper Company, in Slough, England, led by their incompetent and socially unaware boss, David Brent. Told in a mockumentary style that breaks the fourth wall, the show had a 2-season run followed by a 2-episode Christmas special.

Ricky Gervais created, wrote, and starred in the show as the infamous David Brent, embodying the role of a clueless manager who believes he is universally loved. The show's ensemble cast includes Martin Freeman, Mackenzie Crook, Lucy Davis, Patrick Baladi, and others.

By the end of The Office UK, David Brent goes from the manager who believed he was irreplaceable to someone with no idea what the future holds. He goes head-to-head with his superiors, Neil and Jennifer, leading to disastrous results. However, he returns for the Christmas special episodes after his character's success in the mockumentary.

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David, Tim, Dawn, and other characters in The Office UK: Where are they by the series finale?

Ricky Gervais in The Office UK (Image via Prime Video)

By the end of The Office UK season 1, the Slough branch of the office is set to shut down, with David Brent getting transferred and promoted to the Swindon branch. But this meant the Slough branch employees would get the short end of the stick and end up with major redundancies and downsizing. Brent takes one for the team and refuses the promotion in exchange for his employees keeping their jobs at the new Swindon office. Things appear to look up, until they go downhill in season 2.

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David Brent gets reprimanded

Throughout season 2 of The Office UK, David Brent continues his chaotic managerial methods to run the Swindon office. He ruins an employee's birthday party, gets into fights with his superior, Neil, because he is jealous of his popularity, and accepts a job as a motivational speaker for another organization.

Neil and Jennifer grow increasingly frustrated with David Brent's misbehavior disguised as raucous humor. They reprimand him for forgetting to pay an employee, failing to hand in a report, and his general dip in performance as his commitments outside Wernham Hogg grow. David makes matters worse at the end of The Office UK season 2 by challenging Neil and Jennifer to run the office without him.

His foolish confidence in his jovial nature and humor made him believe the entire office would rally behind him. But the superiors go ahead and make him redundant, giving him severance pay. Contrary to David's claim, the people at the Swindon office were only relieved to see him go.

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Tim and Dawn's lives take a turn in The Office UK season 2

Tim Canterbury (Martin Freeman) is the office's prankster. He has barely any interest in selling paper, still lives with his parents, and is tragically in love with the receptionist, Dawn (Lucy Davis), who is engaged to Lee from the warehouse. His memorable pranks, including putting Gareth's stapler in jelly, are some of the highlights of the show.

By the end of season 1, he rescinds his decision to quit after David offers him a promotion at the Swindon office, much to Dawn's disapproval. She believes he is giving up on a bigger future by staying tied down to Wernham Hogg, while also being tied down to a relationship she does not like. In season 2, Tim's growth as a sales professional is explored.

Dawn dreams of being a children's book illustrator and is secretly in love with Tim, although she finds it impossible to leave her relationship. By the end of The Office UK season 2, Tim breaks up with his girlfriend, Rachel, and confesses to Dawn. While she reciprocates, she ultimately decides to move to Florida with Lee, leaving Tim heartbroken in the series finale.

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The cast of The Office UK returns for a Christmas special

The cast reunite for a Christmas special (Image via YouTube/BBC Comedy Greats)

In the Christmas special episodes, the fate of David Brent and the rest of the cast is revealed. The mockumentary that the office participated in is a big hit, and the producers have reunited the employees for a special event, even flying in Dawn and Lee from Florida. The infamous former manager is back to square one, claiming he spent his entire redundancy pay to launch a music career (which failed, ultimately).

He goes on a blind date-style TV show where he is wildly unpopular. To relive his glory days, he returns to the Swindon office constantly, until he is banned by Neil. But by the end, David shows that he is capable of growth (however marginal) when he stands up to his racist, homophobic, and wildly inappropriate friend, Chris Finch, and impresses Neil with his beautiful date.

Tim and Gareth in The Office UK (Image via YouTube/BBC)

Meanwhile, Tim continues working at Wernham Hogg with a pregnant woman as his deskmate. Gareth finally goes from Assistant to the Regional Manager to General Manager, introducing changes to combat David's years of incompetence. Tim and Dawn reunite briefly at the Christmas party. A series of events, including Tim's colleague Jamie swapping his secret Santa choice with him, led to Tim giving Dawn his present.

Opening it in the cab, she sees a box of paints and a message from Tim that says, "Never give up". Dawn realizes she is in the wrong relationship, where her hopes and dreams aren't respected. She runs to the office to confess to Tim. She tells him she does not have a fiancé anymore, and the couple share a kiss and walk away.

In a rare moment, David does not make the event about himself, sharing a happy look with the camera.

"Life isn't about endings, is it? It's about a series of moments"- Tim in the final episode of The Office UK.

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Although The Office UK received low ratings during its time on air, it became one of the most successful sitcoms in TV history, providing the idea for a "The Office" franchise across different locations in the world, with the most popular one being the US version starring Steve Carell.

Stream all episodes on the BBC and Prime Video.