Timeline

A timeline of the history and development of the shows, and the careers of the three main performers.

1961

January: Ricky and Steve begin their first show (Series 0) on Xfm.
August: Ricky and Steve take voluntary redundancy from Xfm
September 8th: Ricky and Steve's sitcom pilot, Golden Years, is broadcast on Channel 4 as part of the Comedy Lab strand.

October 26th: The third series of the 11 O'Clock Show begins, now featuring Ricky Gervais.

July 9: The Office is first broadcast on BBC2.
September: Ricky and Steve return to Xfm with a new show, with Karl Pilkington as their producer. Series 1, and the show as we know it, begins.

May 4th: Ricky and Steve take a break to film the second series of The Office, marking the end of series 1.
August 24th: Ricky and Steve return, and Series 2 begins.
August 31st: An early version of Rockbusters is played for the first time
September 30th: The Office Series 2 is broadcast.
November 21st: The Last Chancers, another Comedy Lab pilot is broadcast, directed by Stephen Merchant.

January 25th: Monkey News makes its debut.
August 16th: Series 2 ends after 51 weeks, as Ricky and Steve go off to film The Office Christmas specials. The show's future hangs on whether Karl decides to return.
November 1st: The show does return, as Karl now has Mondays off, and Series 3 begins
26th-27th December: The Office Christmas Specials are broadcast on BBC1

May 28th: The show returns with the six-week Series 4.
July 2nd: The last show of the series, and of any Xfm series ends early as Ricky will be introducing REM at Live 8.
July 20th: Extras begins on BBC2.
December 5th: The first series of 12 weekly Podcasts begin, free on Guardian Unlimited
December 24th and 31st: Ricky, Steve and Karl stand in for Jonathan Ross on BBC Radio 2 over the Christmas period.
December 27th-29th: Karl co-presents three 6Music Shows with Russell Brand

January 23rd: The first excerpts of Karl's Diary are read in Podcast episode 8.
February 20th: Podcast Series 1 draws to a close.
February 27th: Podcast Series 2 begins, 6 weeks in length and no longer free, available on iTunes or Audible.
March 24th: The first Video Podcast is released, the beginning of a free, irregular, continuing series.
April: Karl appears on a few more episodes of Russell Brand's 6 Music show, but contractual obligations force him to pull out.
April 4th: Podcast Series 2 ends.
August 14th-17th: Karl makes a series of four consecutive 3 Minute Wonders for Channel 4.
August 22nd: After a break in order to film Extras Series 2, the Podcasts return with Series 3, the same deal as Series 2.
September 14th: Extras series 2 begins.
September 18th: The World of Karl Pilkington is released in the UK
September 26th: Series 3 ends, with the suggestion that there will be a break before the next series.
October 31st: The first of three free podcasts will be available through Guardian Unlimited.