Office Stars Reveal Secrets for 25th Anniversary!

It's been 25 years since the world was introduced to David Brent and the employees of Wernham Hogg. 

Created by and , the mockumentary series followed up staffers in the Slough branch of a fictional paper company, and has gone on to become one the most successful British comedy exports.

To mark the show's anniversary, two of its stars and Mackenzie Crook came together to reminisce on the special, Remember... The Office, which will air on Wednesday night. 

Speaking about the show, which launched in 2001 and aired for two seasons, Martin, who played loveable sales rep Tim, and Mackenzie, who played jobsworth Gareth, reflected on their series highlights, how Ricky annoyed them during promo and why they resented the American remake. 

Martin, 54, began by explaining that he very nearly didn't get a part in the show at all, because he initially auditioned for the part of Gareth.  

He recalled: 'It was the showbiz cliché. I was on the way out and, as I had my hand on the handle of the door - I can't remember which one of them said it [Ricky or Stephen] they would both wanna credit it to them - one of them said, "Do you think Martin should read for Tim instead?"'

Martin continued: 'I was like, "Yeah, fine. I'll do it". I read for that, and I can't remember whether it was an easier fit or not.'

Turning to Mackenzie, Martin continued: 'I'm very glad because you should be Gareth. 

'I wouldn't have got it because you would've got it. So I was very, very glad that they called me back. That was last second.'

A sleeper hit, the BBC show first attracted a viewership of 1.5 million viewers, growing to nine million by the time the two-part Christmas special aired two years later. 

Discussing the success of the show, Martin exclaimed: 'We were more popular than The Beatles. It felt like being in a band.

'I would come across musicians and people who I thought, "Wow, this person", and they liked the show as well.

'I worked with Richard Curtis and he was one of the people - and Sacha Baron Cohen - who were saying, "You stop at f***ing nine o'clock, you go to see The Office."

'I remember hearing at the time that [Paul] McCartney used to get it videoed. F***ing hell, man. It was great.

'We had a real brief moment, and I've always been really grateful that it was a brief moment.'

Mackenzie agreed, saying: 'Yeah, brief and finite, but it opened a whole load of doors, for me at least.'

Indeed, Martin went from The Office to starring in hits such as Love Actually, The Hobbit and Black Panther. While Mackenzie scored roles in the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise and Game Of Thrones. 

The American reboot of The Office has proved to be the most successful of the 16 international versions (pictured: Steve Carell, John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson)