Steve Carell has looked back on his emotional exit from The Office almost 10 years ago.

The acclaimed comedy ran for nine seasons on NBC between 2005 and 2013 and Carell starred in the first seven as hapless office boss Michael Scott.

Towards the end of season seven, Carell bowed out of the show in an extended episode, 'Goodbye, Michael', which saw Michael say his goodbyes to his colleagues one by one.

"It was almost more than I bargained for... I had [goodbye] scenes with everyone in the cast and it was emotional torture," he told the An Oral History of The Office podcast, hosted by Office co-star Brian Baumgartner (Kevin).

"It was like just fraught with emotion... and joy and sadness and nostalgia. But it was also really beautiful.

"I treasure just doing that episode because it did allow me to kind of have a finality with everybody."

Carell went on to reprise the role of Michael for a brief cameo in the series finale.

Relive Michael Scott's greatest moments below: