'Office' exec wants Ricky Gervais

Paul Lieberstein, executive producer of The Office, has admitted that NBC is considering approaching Ricky Gervais to replace Steve Carell on the series.

Carell announced his intention to leave the show in April. He later denied that Gervais - who played David Brent in the original UK version of the programme - would take his place.

However, Lieberstein told New York Magazine that NBC is keen on the idea of Gervais reprising his Brent role.

"We talked about it today for a while," he confirmed. "It's not the leading idea... [but] it's not a dead idea."

The producer admitted that there would be problems to overcome if Gervais were to join the cast.

"I don't know how David Brent could take Michael Scott's place because it would be a little bit too much of a coincidence that a documentary crew was also following him," he said. "He was also fired for incompetence [in the UK Office], so we'd have to create some back story for what happened."

He added: "On the flip side, you have someone who's incredibly talented and who has played with a level of realism that's the same as our show."

However, Gervais himself dismissed the idea.

"Why would I get up at 6am five days a week for seven years when I can hire someone else to do that and still get my syndication money?" he quipped.

The seventh season of The Office begins September 23 on NBC.