This being Steve Carell’s final season on The Office means big changes and exciting storylines leading up to May.  This was supposed to be a surprise for longtime fans of the series but word got out and here we are: Ricky Gervais will reprise David Brent, the UK version of Carell’s Michael Scott, in the January 27 episode.  More specifically, Brent will make a brief cameo during the cold open.  “It’s a little more than if you blink, you’ll miss it, but if you don’t set your TiVo right, you’ll miss it,” says producer Paul Lieberstein.  So how will Gervais, who created the UK Office and serves as an executive producer on the US version, end up crossing paths with his US alter-ego?  Lieberstein spills, “We had some issues to work out, like how does David Brent live in the world of Michael Scott. It’s outside of the office, and it’s just the two of them interacting. It’s just a llittle nod to Steve and his final year.”

The Office returns with new episodes this Thursday at 9PM on NBC.

[Via NYMag]