Stephen Merchant

Cast in the British comedy flick, “Hot Fuzz”

Hosted a radio show on music-oriented show on BBC 6 Music

Received Emmy nominations for Directing and Writing for the Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale (HBO)

Co-created “Extras” (BBC2) with longtime collaborator Ricky Gervais; also co-starred onscreen with Gervais, as hapless agent Darren Lamb in this sitcom about struggling actors (aired on HBO in the U.S.); earned Emmy nominations for Best Writing in 2005 and 2007 and for Best Directing in 2007 for the episode “Orlando Bloom”

Executive produced (with Gervais) the American version of “The Office” (NBC), starring Steve Carell in the Gervais role

Appeared in the British TV comedy “Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace” (Channel 4)

Worked as a script consultant on the sitcom “Nathan Barley” (Channel 4)

Directed an unaired comedy called “The Last Chancers” for Channel 4

Co-created (with Gervais) the weekly online audio program, “The Ricky Gervais Show”; aired on Xfm in weekly periods for months at a time throughout 2002, 2003, 2004, and mid-2005

Co-created with Gervais the BBC comedy hit “The Office”; earned an Emmy nomination for Writing

Enrolled in a TV production training course at the BBC; for his short film project shot a largely improvised 10-minute piece called “Seedy Boss” starring Gervais; this short would later become the basis for “The Office”

Wrote for Sacha Baron Cohen’s “The Eleven O’Clock Show”

Met future writing partner, Ricky Gervais, when he was hired by London radio station Xfm

Began doing stand-up comedy; won the Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award