Ricky Gervais' David Brent gets statue at Slough hotel as The Office turns 25
A statue of David Brent has been unveiled at a Premier Inn in Slough, marking 25 years since The Office UK first graced British television. The clay sculpture of Ricky Gervais' most iconic character has been commissioned by the hotel chain and is now on display at the Slough Trading Estate location.
The Premier Inn occupies the former site of Crossbow House, the building whose exterior was used as Wernham Hogg, David Brent's office, in The Office UK's opening credits. Crossbow House was demolished in 2013 and subsequently redeveloped into the Premier Inn several years later.
The sculpture was unveiled by Brent impersonator Tim Oliver, who recreated the character's distinctive stance alongside some of his signature dance moves that helped propel Berkshire-born writer Ricky Gervais to international fame. Created by sculptor Gareth Knowles, the bust took 120 hours to complete and weighs seven kilograms. It will remain a permanent installation at the site.
A spokesperson for the hotel chain stated: "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."
Premier Inn commissioned a survey of 2,000 adults which revealed David Brent's Comic Relief dance as the standout moment from the series, securing 26% of the vote from The Office fans. Dawn returning to the Christmas party to kiss Tim in the festive special came second with 15%.
Nearly three quarters of those who watched the show regard it as a nostalgic snapshot of working life in the early 2000s. However, 68% admitted they would not want to work in an environment similar to Wernham Hogg. The beloved sitcom followed David Brent's journey from regional manager at a paper merchant to his subsequent career as a travelling salesman.