The Office made the star/writer/director an international star, and changed the situation comedy genre, but it took me ages to get started on this next popular Mockumentary, with co-writer Stephen Merchant, I was hoping it would be as enjoyable. The series revolves around the career of aspiring actor Andy Millman (BAFTA winning and Golden Globe nominated Ricky Gervais), who can only find work as an extra for various film and television projects, he refers to himself as "background artist". Andy's well-meaning but ditsy best friend and fellow extra Maggie Jacobs (BAFTA nominated Ashley Jensen) often gets him into highly awkward and embarrassing situations with her choice of conversations with crew members, and Andy's agent Darren Lamb (twice BAFTA nominated Stephen Merchant), who is a part-time employee of Carphone Warehouse, is incompetent and has no real experience in the entertainment field, his assistant is former EastEnders actor Shaun Williamson, who he refers to as his former character name "Barry". Fed up with being an extra, Andy does everything he can to get his face on camera, including shamelessly approaching celebrities and producers in an effort to get screen time or a line of dialogue, but even when successful something happens that prevents his career advancing. But Andy gets his opportunity when his script he has written for a new sitcom, When the Whistle Blows, gains interest from BBC producers, they green-light his project, and Andy is given the lead role, while Maggie has no ambitions and just continues being an extra, and unintentionally offending people with her comments about race, sexuality, disability and much more. But the producers turn Andy's project into a low-rent comedy, relying on catchphrases, stereotypes and stupid costumes, it is commercially successful, gaining millions of viewers, but critics are less than complimentary about it. By Christmas, Andy decides to drop the sitcom and fires Darren as his agent, he gets a professional agency to help him, but he can only get bit parts, and he turns sour towards Maggie, he tries a revival of his career with an appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, but in the end Andy and Maggie reconcile and accept a life of anonymity. Guest stars throughout the show include: Ben Stiller, Ross Kemp, Vinnie Jones, Kate Winslet, Les Dennis, Samuel L. Jackson, Sir Patrick Stewart, Orlando Bloom, Keith Chegwin, Liza Tarbuck, David Bowie, Daniel Radcliffe, Dame Diana Rigg, Warwick Davis, Phillip Schofield, Fern Britton, Nick Ferrari, Matthew Wright, Richard Madeley & Judy Finnigan, Chris Martin, Richard Briers, Stephen Fry, Ronnie Corbett, Moira Stuart, Davina McCall, Sir Ian McKellen, Germaine Greer, Mark Kermode, Mark Lawson, Jonathan Ross, Robert De Niro, Robert Lindsay, Clive Owen, George Michael, Gordon Ramsay, David Tennant, Gareth Hale & Norman Pace, Lionel Blair, Dean Gaffney, June Sarpong, Lisa Scott-Lee, Chico Slimani, Karl Pilkington and Vernon Kay. Also starring Shaun Pye as Greg Lindley- Jones, Sarah Moyle as Kimberley, Andrew Buckley as Gobbler, Jamie Chapman as Brains, Martin Savage as Damon Beesley, Guy Henry as Iain Morris, Steve Speirs as Dullard, Francesca Martinez as Francesca, Tony Way as Chef, Katherine Parkinson as Woman in Queue, Katy Wix as Girl in Nightclub, Marek Larwood as Autograph Hunter, Steve Brody as Estate Agent, Frog Stone as 1st AD, Stuart McQuarrie as Shop Manager, Kerry Godliman as Floor Manager, Karl Pilkington as Fan and Rob Brydon as Announcer. Gervais is great at being an out-of-luck actor, and Jensen is fantastic with her many cringing moments, and Merchant is amusing as the unhelpful agent, there are plenty of awkward situations and celebrities behaving badly that get you laughing, I don't know if I found it as hilarious as The Office, but it is certainly a funny and watchable comedy. It was nominated the BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy and Best Writer for Gervais and Stephen Merchant (twice), and it won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical. Very good!