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Stephen Merchant Says He and Ricky Gervais Now Lead Separate Lives

He attributes the distance to careers diverging after The Office's success.

Overview

  • In a Times interview, Merchant said they are "not in touch a great deal" and recalled that even at their closest they lived separate lives.
  • He said they realized they "couldn't compete" with The Office, prompting different career directions in the years since.
  • Merchant rejected claims of a falling-out, noting past speculation after Gervais's After Life and saying his tweet was not a swipe.
  • On Neal Brennan's podcast, he described their partnership as his structure-focused approach complementing Gervais's instinctive comedy.
  • Working from his London home, he is writing scripts and stand-up with projects spanning an action thriller, a sci‑fi piece, and a rom‑com.