I've been listening to the XFM shows and when they're talking about the success of The Office or something they always talk about how Ricky is so much richer. One thing that struck me was that they said they discussed this when they first made The Office, so did that make some sort of deal that Ricky would get most of the money and publicity?
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shareIt's a joke.
shareNo it's not a joke. As a writer Stephen made waaaay less back then, and Ricky was the face of the show, both the Office and the Xfm radio show (although Karl really made the show hilarious haha). Currently though he's been getting his own screen time, and after they actually sold The Office to the U.S. (as well as Australia, and I think India and a bunch of other countries) I think they both made quite a bit. They talk about a trip to LA in one episode in Series 2 I believe in which Stephen doesn't know his passport even can expire and it had so they wouldn't let him get on the plane.
To sum up, yep back then neither of them were loaded really, although Ricky certainly had more money. Now I'd say Ricky still makes far more, but they are both definitely well to do (Stephen was in that Dwayne Johnson movie as a fairly large role, for Disney but a large role none the less - The Tooth Fairy).
And they've moved up to the big screen now, and away from just BBC stuff (check out Extras if you haven't already though, HILARIOUS).
Ricky & Stephen would have made a pretty similar amount for the writing, producing, and directing but Ricky also made additional money for acting.
They won awards for the creative but David Brent made Ricky instantly famous because of the character and so RG was winning his own awards & recognition on top the praise for the writers/producers. Besides that additional money, he got more fame, which got him more money by getting him movies right away.
If you listen to the radio it's more said in jest but Ricky does have more money, but not due to a specific deal that he was worth more or anything.
I don't know if this thread is a joke, but in terms of the original U.K. series, neither made considerable money. You have to know that no one makes any real coin off of a BBC show -- maybe a bit off of DVD sales.
The real payoff would have been the U.S. version. What the deal was there, who knows? They were both co-creators and executive producers, so I imagine each made a whack of money; show ran for 9 seasons and was syndicated (that's where you get the REAL money).