After comments he made during BBC radio interview in April fuelled speculation he would be leaving NBC sitcom The Office, Steve Carell has confirmed he will be leaving the popular Thursday night series when his contract expires at the end of the show's seventh season.

Speaking to E! Online this past weekend, Carell said of his predicted 2011 departure date: "I just think it's time" before later adding, "It doesn't certainly mean the end of the show. I think it's just a dynamic change to the show, which could be a good thing, actually."

While Carell, who has played hilariously inept Dunder-Mifflin paper company boss Michael Scott since the show debuted in 2005, insists his departure won't affect The Office negatively, I'm not so sure.

When NBC first chose to adapt Ricky Gervais' wildly popular BBC series The Office for American audiences, I had no idea how anyone could improve upon the inspired and beloved British mockumentary source material. It was only through Carell's sly (far warmer) reinterpretation of the incompetent boss character that the American series was able to become more than a slavish imitator, eventually attracting and keeping a new audience. Carell's big-hearted goofiness helped to establish a new, sunnier tone for the U.S. series, and I suspect that's a big part of what's kept The Office afloat for the past 6 seasons. Without it, I know I'll be less interested in tuning in.

I'm curious to get your take, readers. Do you think The Office can survive without Steve Carell? And if it does, who would you cast as the new Dunder-Mifflin boss?