Here is the contextual research for my final major project

1. Contextual Research
By Harry Docwra

2. Ricky Gervais
• Ricky Dene Gervais was born on June 25th
1961 in Reading, Berkshire, England. In
1980 he enrolled in University College,
London where he planned on studying
biology but switched courses and ended
up leaving with a degree in Philosophy.
While studying at UCL he met his future
wife Jane Fallon.

3. Ricky Gervais
• After university Ricky tried to peruse a career in Sedona Dancing, in a
duo with a fellow student, they were a synth-pop act similar to many
duos in the 80s. Despite the act failing Gervais stayed in the music
industry for a while and for some time was the manager of the rock
band “Suede.”
• In the 90’s he made a writing partnership with Stephen Merchant
and in 2000 created “The Ricky Gervais Show” which featured many
popular guests.
• In July of 2001 Gervais and Merchants hit show “The Office” aired on
BBC Two, and lasted two short seasons and a Christmas Special. The
rights to the show were picked up by the American Network “NBC”
and the show was given a reboot set in the U.S. Despite not having a
role in it Ricky Gervais still helped produce the show. He has
appeared in any films as tv shows and still works to this day.
• I chose him to research because of his work on both producing and
starring in the office.

4. Books and Publications
Ricky Gervias, Stephen Merchant (2003). The Office: The Scripts, Series 2. London: BBC Books. 253.
Ricky Gervias, Stephen Merchant (2009). The World of Karl Pilkington. London: HarperCollins Publishers. 240.
Graham Linehan, William Rose (2012). The Ladykillers. Earth: Samuel French. 80.
The following are books
that are authored by the
people I have researched.
The one that appeals to me
the most is “The Office: The
Scripts” as I can use it as
inspiration for my project.

5. Stephen Merchant
• Stephen James Merchant was born on
the 24th November 1974 in Hanham,
Bristol, England. He studied film and
television at Warwick University, with his
dreams of becoming a film
director/writer/performer. (He also
hosted his own student radio
programme.) He has been dating actress
Micheal Monroe since 2017.

6. Stephen Merchant
• Merchant began his career as a stand up comedian on Bristols
Comedy Box where he started with a successful then
unsuccessful fist two weeks. He met Ricky Gervais in 1997
where he was hired as Rickys assistant, the two later formed a
writing duo. In 2001 Stephen and Ricky launched their hit
sitcom “The Office” on BBC two which Merchant co-wrote,
produced and directed alongside Gervais. When the show was
picked up for an American reboot they were both credited as
executive producers.
• Merchant still works in television and stand up comedy. Since
the start of his career he has appeared in films such as “Hot
Fuzz”, “I Give It a Year” and “Logan”.
• I thought he would be suitable to research for his work on the
office.

7. Graham Linehan
• Graham Linehan is an Irish sitcom writer,
he was born on the 22nd of May 1968.
Linehan studied at Plunketts School for
boys and then attended Catholic
University School in Dublin. In 2004 he
married writer Helen Linehan and they
currently have two children, Wendy and
Henry Linehan.

8. Graham Linehan
• In his early career Linehan was a
journalist for Hot Press, an Irish music
magazine. He worked alongside Arthur
Matthews on the Alexei Sayle Show.
The pair created the failed sitcom
“Paris” in 1994 and then worked on
many sketches for the BBC such as
“The Day Today”, “The Fast Show” and
“Harry Enfield and Chums”. But it was
“Father Ted” that kickstarted their
career, it showed of their true talent
and creativity in their writing. The
show ran until 1998 when it came to
an abrupt end when the main star,
Dermot Morgan, passed away. In 2006
Linehan returned to sitcom writing
when he wrote the hit Channel 4
series “The IT Crowd” which lasted
until 2013.
• I chose to research Graham Linehan
because I admire his work on Father
Ted and The IT Crowd.