Tim Canterbury

Living… in Slough, England. Tim tries to make the best of living with his parents. It’s hard for him to describe his hometown without heavy, if deadpan, sarcasm: “Slough's nightlife is incredible. It's got two nightclubs, it's got Chasers and New York, New York. They call it the nightclub that never sleeps. That closes at one. There was, oh my God, a themed nightclub called Henry the Eights. This was incredible. It had the Anne Bol-inn, this is true, as you went into the loo, there was a sign that said ‘Mind your head,’ nice, and underneath someone had written 'And don't get your Hampton Court.' It's not there any more. But not a day goes by that I don't think about it.”

Profession… sales representative for Wernham Hogg paper company. Tim is the rock of the office, often keeping his co-workers from dying of boredom with his pranks and general good humor. It’s definitely not the job he wants, but his insecurity stifles his goal of returning to university for a psychology degree.

Interests… America. Another one of Tim’s pipe dreams is a move to America. He talks about it in passing, mainly when other people mention exciting things they’re doing. He has family there. Somehow that makes it more real. Maybe the fantasy is better than the actual move.

Relationship Status… hopelessly in love with the right person who’s currently with the wrong person. He’s always had a thing for Dawn, the office receptionist. He’s barely made it a secret but she’s engaged, and Tim’s not the kind of guy to overstep that boundary. All there is to do is wait and hope that Dawn will come to her senses. It doesn’t help that Dawn’s fiancé, Lee, is a beefy man’s man who works in the Wernham Hogg warehouse and is often around the office.

Challenge… transcending his situation. He lives with his parents, has no passion for his job, and is in love with another man’s fiancée. As he puts it, “If you look at life like rolling a dice, then my situation now, as it stands – yeah, it may only be a 3. If I jack that in now, go for something bigger and better, yeah, I could easily roll a 6 – no problem, I could roll a 6... I could also roll a 1. OK? So, I think sometimes... Just leave the dice alone.”

Personality… good-natured. Tim has an effortless charm, stemming from his humility and self-deprecating sense of humor. Unlike his boss David Brent, Tim is not a big ball of insecurity demanding to be loved. He’s comfortable in his own skin and projects that feeling to others. He’s not very assertive, though, and might let the things he really wants pass him by.