U.S. Version of The Office Coming to the UK  9/8/06

The US version of Ricky Gervais' celebrated comedy The Office will be aired on British screens by ITV, after the independent network outbid broadcast giant the BBC.

The BBC made the original UK series, and planned to buy up the next two series of the acclaimed American version: The Office: An American Workplace.

But their smaller rival managed to bag the upcoming series - leaving BBC bosses fuming.

An ITV insider tells British newspaper the Sun, "It's a great coup for us as The Office is always associated with the BBC - even the American one.

"They will be furious that we've done this"