Extras star lands 24 cameo role

Merchant created The Office with Gervais before working on Extras

Extras star Stephen Merchant is to have a cameo role in TV drama 24 - but his comedy sidekick Ricky Gervais will not appear as he is "too recognisable".

Merchant, who played an incompetent agent in the BBC sitcom, will be seen handing a piece of paper to a member of staff at the Counter-Terrorism Unit.

But Gervais was asked to record a spoof scene, which producers want to release on DVD, his spokeswoman has confirmed.

He appears as an official who is upset when someone steals an idea of his.

The Bafta-winning actor and comedian is seen whispering under his breath that a mission should be given to Special Agent Jack Bauer, played by Kiefer Sutherland.

Then he appears incredulous when someone else makes a similar suggestion and takes the credit for the idea.

Executive producer Jon Cassar told the New York Post he hoped that Gervais would agree to let the scene appear as a bonus on the DVD release of the sixth season.

Fox is due to show the first episode of that series in the US on 14 January.