Could Brad star in The Office USA?

It seems a most unlikely casting choice for the awkward, inept and annoying David Brent - but Brad Pitt could be the star of the American remake of The Office.

Channel 4 is claiming that the Hollywood heart-throb is in like to take over from Ricky Gervais when the series crosses the Atlantic next year.

Gervais has previously joked that he thought someone like Pitt or George Clooney would be best-placed to replace him, while co-creator Stephen Merchant always thought the role should go to someone fatter.

C4's film website today quotes an unnamed TV insider saying: "Brad's really into British comedy. He loves Monty Python and things like that.

"He's seen The Office and thinks it's brilliant, and he's been approached by the team to take the lead role.

"As a fan he could insist on keeping the basic premise of the programme and make himself less attractive.

"It sounds impossible, but he played a masterfully horrible serial killer in Kalifornia and we bought that."

Pitt's involvement could prove a vital tool in helping the series survive the brutal market of prime-time American sitcom, which recently rejected the much-hyped British import Coupling.

Meanwhile, the official line is that no casting decisions have been made.

Gervais and Merchant are executive producers on the US version, which is being written by King Of The Hill creator Greg Daniels.

Published: 24 Nov 2003