Well, sooner or later someone's going to have to take the big job. And if it ends up being Catherine Tate, we won't be afraid to say we told you so.
Indeed, as predicted The Hollywood Reporter is reprorting that British comidienne Catherine Tate is lead in the running to take the job as new head of Dunder Mifflin Scranton when The Office closes out its seventh season, though may be unable to take the role because of prior committments. The fact that the Reporter alludes to any uncertainty at all would imply that a successor to Steve Carell may not be explicitly chosen by season finale "Search Committee."
Tate has been curiously absent from most promos touting the finale's impressive guest star applicants, which include Jim Carrey, Will Arnett, Ricky Gervais (seen on webcam rather than in person), James Spader and Ray Romano.
Could the clips have been edited to save the best for last, or simply because of American audiences' unfamiliarity with Tate, best known in the UK for her sketch comedy show and role as the Tenth Doctor Who's companion Donna Noble? Of the other celebrity candidates listed, most already have committments to other Fall series and would seem too high-profile to join the series, factors working to Tate's advantage.
Of course, the hire could always come from within.
And while The Hollywood Reporter claims that Tate is said to be the top choice of The Office's producers to take the job, there's one small hitch. The actress will be reuniting with Doctor Who castmate David Tennant over the summer for a UK production of Much Ado About Nothing, said to be an extremely hot ticket outing that might conflict with potential season eight shooting.
We'll find out more when The Office's seventh season finale "Search Committee" airs Thursday at 9 on NBC, but in the meantime give us your picks to take the job in the comments below!
