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The Office UK (2001-2003) followed the mundane lives of awkward employees at Wernham Hogg, a paper company based in Slough, England. The show captures the existentialism of corporate workers and the dullness of routine through the eyes of David Brent (show creator, writer, and main character Ricky Gervais), the loud and unaware manager who believes he is universally loved.
Also starring Martin Freeman as Tim, Mackenzie Crook as Gareth, Lucy Davis as Dawn, and an ensemble cast of office workers, the show told the story of unlikely friendships, corporate reality, and the not-so-glamorous moments in life during its two-season run and two-episode Christmas special.
Whether it's the awkward interactions at one of the town's only two nightclubs or the dull colors of Wernham Hogg's walls, the workplace mockumentary captures the dreary atmosphere of a small town where nothing much happens. Most of The Office UK was shot in London and its suburbs.
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Was The Office UK shot in Slough, England?
Surprisingly, no! Most fans might not know that the show was shot in a real office building in Teddington Studios, Teddington, London. After filming wrapped, the space returned to use as an actual office until Teddington Studios' lease ended, after which it was renovated into a residential area.
When The Office UK began airing, it received poor ratings before becoming one of the most popular British comedies with TV adaptations worldwide. What kept it afloat despite its initial low popularity was the building itself, which made filming easy without the need for elaborate sets or props. In a way, the drudgery of daily life was captured more precisely because the creators chose a real location.
Other popular reality TV shows like Pop Idol (2001-2003) and Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1988-1999) were also filmed in the studio's sound stages.
Opening Credits of The Office UK
The opening credits of The Office UK offer a sneak peek into what the show is about: the daily lives of a group of nobodies in a small town that could be anywhere in England. Since the show is set in Slough, the opening credits offer a glimpse of the suburbs in Berkshire, about 20 miles away from central London.
Notable landmarks featured in the opening sequence include the Wellington Street roundabout, the Brunel Bus Station and Car Park, and the Crossbow House, which has since been demolished. The opening theme distinctly lacks color or pace, picking out ordinary buildings, houses, and highways for good effect.
Pubs, nightclubs, and lunch breaks in The Office UK
The Office UK crew didn't step out of Wernham Hogg too often, but when they did, the episodes delivered memorable moments (remember when a petrified Gareth rode in a couple's bike sidecar after the wife made advances on him?). In season 1 episode 5 (New Girl), the gang goes to Slough's "premium night club," Chasers, where early turn-of-the-millennium music and women await.
While no information is available about the actual location of this fictional bar, the scenes were not filmed in Slough. Only the opening credits were confirmed to be filmed in the Berkshire suburbs. Based on available information, the nightclub could be anywhere in or around Teddington, where the main filming took place.
More about The Office UK
While the single-camera workplace mockumentary did not receive positive reactions initially, it won many awards, including the 2001 British Comedy Awards for Best New TV. Creator Ricky Gervais also created a spin-off in 2016, titled David Brent: Life on the Road, detailing David's escapades over a decade after the events of the show, where he went on the road chasing rockstar fame.
Based on the show's easy-to-adapt premise, several countries, including the United States (with the Emmy Award-winning The Office), Mexico, India, Chile, and, most recently, Australia, have released their own versions of the cringeworthy comedy about life in a small-town paper company.
Stream all episodes of The Office UK on Prime Video.
