A sculpture of David Brent, Ricky Gervais' most iconic character, has been unveiled at a Premier Inn in Slough to mark 25 years since The Office UK first aired. The clay creation, commissioned by Premier Inn, is on permanent display at the Slough Trading Estate hotel, which now stands on the site of Crossbow House—the building whose exterior was used as Wernham Hogg in the show's opening credits.
Unveiling and Creation
The bust was unveiled by Brent impersonator Tim Oliver, who re-enacted the character's signature pose and dance moves. Created by sculptor Gareth Knowles, the statue took 120 hours to complete and weighs seven kilograms. It will remain as a permanent installation at the hotel.
Celebrating British Comedy History
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.”
The spokesperson added: “Whilst the building itself is totally transformed – our guests are more likely to be interested in pillows than photocopiers – eagle-eyed fans will certainly spot the similarity in the footprint of the site.” Crossbow House was demolished in 2013 and redeveloped into a Premier Inn a few years later.
Fan Favourite Moments
Premier Inn also commissioned research of 2,000 adults, which found David Brent’s Comic Relief dance to be the top moment from the show, receiving 26% of the vote. The second most popular moment was Dawn returning to the Christmas party to kiss Tim in the festive special (15%). Nearly three-quarters of viewers consider the show a nostalgic snapshot of working life in the early 2000s, though 68% said they would not want to work in an environment like Wernham Hogg.
The Premier Inn spokesperson concluded: “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.”
