The Fast Show star Charlie Higson wanted to do a spin-off starring Office joker Colin Hunt, but was beaten to it when Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant had a hit with The Office, says Charlie Higson.

Higson was talking to Chris Moyles to promote The Fast Show's current 30th anniversary tour and explained what happened.

“Well, I was planning, I was thinking, ‘yeah, we could do an office-based sitcom with an office joker, who, yeah, ends up with a story arc, but Ricky Gervais beat us to it. He did it a lot better than I ever did it. You know, he’s always denied it, but his character, his catchphrase character that he has success with – it’s in Extras – where the extra becomes a star. I mean, let’s face it, that is basically Colin Hunt. He says ‘no I love The Fast Show, I wasn’t having a go at it.’ And that sitcom within Extras is what the Colin Hunt sitcom would have been!”

Watch a full video of the conversation here.

Tune into The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X weekdays from 6:30am – 10am and on Global Player**