Slough's plea to Gervais

Gervais plays the idiot boss from hell

The Office star Ricky Gervais has been asked to become a cultural ambassador for Slough, which his acerbic comedy has done plenty to rubbish.

The show's biting parody of motivational management gibberish in a Slough office has generated a huge cult following.

And it has further added to the drab image of a town immortalised by poet John Betjeman when he wrote: "Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough/It isn't fit for humans now."

The Office has won numerous awards

The Berkshire town's council chiefs are desperate to highlight the town's green spaces and cultural strengths to dispel its two most famous images.

In the show, Gervais plays cringeworthy middle manager David Brent, who wrestles with his employees at a paper merchant while showcasing his lecherousness and ignorance.

Set on a drab Slough industrial estate, the show helps to portray the town as one of the dullest destinations in Britain.

But the council still want him to spearhead a new campaign to revamp the town's image.

"As the country's most famous office manager we would be delighted if Ricky were to act as our unofficial cultural ambassador.

"The Office may poke fun at Slough but people here have quite a good sense of humour and we think it's great," a council spokesman said.

Officials have made an approach to Gervais about taking on the role next year.

Dormitory town

Slough, situated between Reading and London, needs good publicity in its battle to achieve the status of cosmopolitan city instead of ugly dormitory town.

Contrary to its grey image, it has 42 parks and opens spaces plus an ice skating arena where Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean once trained.

Mars Bars are made there, Thunderbirds was filmed there, and the Beatles began their British tour there in 1963.

A spokeswoman for Gervais said she couldn't comment on whether the star welcomed the offer.