Merchant ponders directing without Gervais

Stephen Merchant has revealed that he would consider directing a film without partner Ricky Gervais.

The Office and Extras co-creator, whose coming-of-age film Cemetery Junction is out on DVD now, told DS that he would direct a project on his own if the subject matter was of interest to him and not Gervais.

He said: "I like working with Ricky and enjoy it and wouldn't want to break that partnership up. I wouldn't put it past him to just decide to take a year off. In the advent of that I would definitely do something.

"There are certain areas that he's not as interested in. I've always quite fancied the idea of doing a conspiracy thriller."

Merchant also confessed a love for teen movies, adding that he would like to make a comedy inspired by John Hughes.

"I've always had a soft spot for films like Mean Girls or Clueless, the John Hughes Breakfast Club type movie, something Ricky wouldn't be interested in," he said. "The idea of trying to do a big, broad knockabout comedy on my own, that doesn't take my fancy in the same way."

> Click here to read our full interview with Stephen Merchant