'The Office': MBC approves Arabic-language version of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's classic cult comedy

Following an agreement made between licence holder BBC Studios and local producer-broadcaster MBC, the first Arabic language version of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's British cult comedy hit 'The Office' will premiere in the Middle East later this year.

According to Deadline, the 20-part series, which will air on the network's TV channels and digital streamer Shahid VIP, will be called Al Maktab and produced by MBC Studios, with Egyptian filmmaker Hisham Fathi directing.

The Middle Eastern adaptation, unlike the original, will be set in a courier services firm led by Malik Al-Tuwaif, the self-absorbed yet endearing CEO played by Saleh Abuamrh.

The British cult hit, created and starring Gervais and Merchant, aired for two seasons on the BBC two decades ago before being adapted to acclaim in the United States by NBC, headed by Steve Carell.

Local versions have been made available in ten other countries, including France, Germany, Canada, Israel, India, and, most recently, Poland, but the MBC version is the first in Arabic.

"Although office working may look slightly different for many of us in 2022, the familiarity of these well-observed characters as they navigate petty rivalries, moments of friendship and humour, and a boss that sometimes makes a fool of themselves still rings just as true", said Andre Renaud, SVP Format Sales at BBC Studios, as reported by Deadline.

( With inputs from ANI )