It’s been almost 15 years since The Inbetweeners was first broadcast on television screens across the UK.
The sitcom, which focused on the hilarious lives of four teenagers in Britain, aired for three series between 2008-2010, before being adapted into two films released in 2011 and 2014 respectively.
The classic show made almost $90million at the box office, and propelled protagonists Simon Bird, James Buckley, Joe Thomas and Blake Harrison to stardom.
But what have the quartet and their supporting stars been up to since they were shot to fame in the late noughties?
As the news of the 15th anniversary approaches, and a new show starring Simon Burn on Channel 4 now airing, FEMAIL uncovered what became of the cast of the hit television whose popularity shows no sign of fading.
Simon Bird, James Buckley, Joe Thomas and Blake Harrison pictured in their Inbetweeners characters in 2008
Simon Bird – Will McKenzie
Born on August 19, 1984, Simon Bird was born in Guildford, Surrey. He excelled at school and went on to study English at Queen’s College, Cambridge University.
Simon was appointed president at student-run comedy troupe Footlights, where he later met future co-star Joe Thomas.
The actor, now 38, made his breakthrough playing the slightly geeky but affable Simon in The Inbetweeners.
Having created many memorable catchlines on the show, the actor revealed he still gets called ‘bus w******’ regularly – in reference to his character’s introduction on the series – but feels ‘privileged’ that his work had such an effect on audience.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Simon was asked if he would ever return to his role as the much-loved briefcase w****r.
He replied: ‘It’s a hard no, I’m afraid. It just wouldn’t be the show people want or remember. Much better to leave it as a happy memory.
Left: Simon Bird when he was cast in The Inbetweeners in 2008. Right: The actor pictured on This Morning earlier this month
The actor, 38, is currently starring in the Channel 4 series Everyone Else Burns – where he plays power-obsessed father-of-two David
‘Cut to us all doing a third film for Netflix next year … Anything’s possible. Honestly, you can’t trust a single word I’ve said in this interview. It’s all filler, no killer.’
When asked if he could reshoot one episode of the show which would it be, he responded: ‘The Field Trip episode of Inbetweeners it is.
‘A beautiful location, fish and chips on the beach, watching one of my closest friends, Joe Thomas, almost dying of hypothermia. What could be better?’
Simon is currently starring as David in the new Channel 4 comedy series called Everyone Else Burns.
The six-part series follows a hyper-religious community and the power struggles that happen within their church.
Other cast members alongside Simon include Kate O’Flynn, Amy James-Kelly, Kadiff Kirwan and Harry Connor.
Recently, however, he admitted he doesn’t think The Inbetweeners would be made today.
Joe Thomas, Simon Bird and Blake Harrison attend the National Television Awards at the O2 Arena on January 26, 2011
Simon (centre right) went on to star in Friday Night Dinner with the late Paul Ritter, Tasmin Greig and Tom Rosenthal
Simon Bird is currently starring as domineering father David in the Channel 4 comedy Everybody Else Burns alongside Kadiff Kirwan
Speaking to The Telegraph about how times have changed since The Inbetweeners aired, Simon said: ‘I honestly think it wouldn’t be commissioned today.’
The actor added that he doesn’t think the show has aged well due to the sexism and ‘casual homophobia’ displayed by the characters.
He said: ‘I rationalise it to myself by saying that at the time it was an accurate representation of the way teenagers talk to each other. Is that still the case now? I assume not.’
Simon added: ‘Although the programme was set in the 2000s, it was based on a pilot set in 1990, so even in the 2000s it wasn’t really an accurate reflection of how teenagers spoke.’
Joe Thomas – Simon Cooper
Left: Joe Thomas pictured during the final episode of The Inbetweeners in 2010. Right: Pictured at The Phantom of the Open movie premiere in October 2022
The Inbetweeners changed Joe Thomas’ life in more ways than one. Not only did his role as bratty teenager Simon catapult him to stardom but the show also introduced him to his fiance Hannah Tointon.
Last year, the couple – who have been together for over a decade – welcomed their first daughter.
Born in Chelmsford, Essex, Joe, 39, first started acting when he joined the University of Cambridge’s drama club. At the time, he was studying History at Pembroke college.
In a 2010 interview with student newspaper The Tab, Joe explained how he ‘experimented’ with music and sports in his first term before getting into comedy after meeting his writing partner Jonny Sweet.
Discussing the role which kickstarted his career, the father said: ‘To be honest, when we started series one of The Inbetweeners, I was just trying not to be awful and cock it up.
Following The Inbetweeners, Joe Thomas went on to star in Fresh Meat. Pictured with co-star Kimberley Nixon
Joe Thomas went on to star in The Chickens with his Inbetweeners co-star Simon Bird in 2013. The show wasn’t renewed for a second season
‘I think the show became so successful because it’s about normal teenagers. Most sitcoms focus on discrete groups of people: like people who work in an office or whatever. So The Inbetweeners is more like a soap or an American teen film. The actors in it all look like just anyone, and the characters are based on the middle 90 per cent of people.’
After the series ended in 2010, Joe struck television gold again when he was cast as Kingsley Owen in Fresh Meat – a show about students at Manchester University and co-starred Jack Whitehall, Charlotte Ritchie, Kimberley Nixon and Zawe Ashton.
Speaking to the Radio Times in 2012, Joe confessed that he was very similar to the ‘serious young man’ he played on screen.
He added: ‘I was quite similar to Kingsley. I thought it was a cool thing to be good at your work and I really wanted to succeed.’
Joe Thomas and his fiance Hannah Tointon played Simon Cooper and Tara Brown on the hit show
The couple – who have been together for 10 years – welcomed their first daughter together in 2022
Joe said in 2018: ‘I was quite similar to Kingsley. I thought it was a cool thing to be good at your work and I really wanted to succeed.’
Alongside Fresh Meat, Joe reunited with Simon Bird on the 2013 comedy Chickens – which wasn’t renewed after the first season.
In 2018, Joe returned to the big screen in the comedy film The Festival – which co-starred his fiance Hannah.
While promoting the movie, he confessed on Sunday Brunch why The Inbetweeners US version never took off.
He said: ‘They tried to make an American version of The Inbetweeners and it was very hard because they couldn’t really swear very much because it was on network TV. And then you couldn’t show them drinking and stuff and that’s kind of the whole show.’
Although Hannah and Joe have been fiercely private about their relationship, he did publicly confirm they were dating back in 2010.
He said: ‘I can’t really see how those scenes kindled romance because they were all her being sick into my mouth… but I’m really into that so obviously it was fine!
‘It’s quite an intense thing being on set, so maybe that contributes, but we’re not basing our relationship on the relationship of Simon and Tara in the show.’
Blake Harrison – Neil Sutherland
Left: Blake Harrison pictured in character as Neil in The Inbetweeners in 2008. Right: Blake Harrison pictured attending the Vanity Fair Rising Star BAFTA earlier this week
He may have tried his hand at everything from Agatha Chrisite adaptions to Bake Off since The Inbetweeners ended.
But Blake Harrison will forever be seen as dopey-but-lovable Neil to diehard fans of the show.
Born in Peckham in July 1985, Blake developed a love of performing early and attended the BRIT school, which is the UK’s only state-funded arts school.
Speaking to The Mail on Sunday’s You magazine in 2009, Blake explained how his dad was in the army, then became a cabbie before driving ministers around for the government car service.
The Harrison family lived on a council estate, and although he says he and his older brother had all they wanted, and that the estate didn’t seem that rough, his perspective has changed. ‘There’d sometimes be a few people in the area behind the bins on the estate. At the time, I was like, ‘What are they doing in there?’ It’s quite obvious to me now that they were doing drugs.’
Blake urged fans to stop using catchphrases from the show – such as ‘clunge’ and ‘bus w***er’. Pictured: Jay yelling to people waiting at a bus stop
In late 2020, Blake Harrison appeared in Agatha and The Midnight Murders alongside Helen Baxendale
The actor, 37, shared this photo of his David Attenborough-themed Christmas jumper on his Instagram in December 2022
At primary school he had always liked acting, and so his mum would ferry him to Saturday drama classes. He landed a small role in Oliver! at the London Palladium aged ten, and then at 14 he won a place at the Brit School in Croydon, where his classmates included Katie Melua and Leona Lewis.
He studied dance and drama and then enrolled at the E15 Acting School for three years. ‘And then shortly after that Inbetweeners rolled along. I was very, very lucky.’
After the show wrapped in 2010, Blake went on to star in the hit 2018 drama A Very English Scandal alongside Hugh Grant and also did voiceover work for the reboot of Bob the Builder.
Most recently, he starred opposite Billie Piper in I Hate Suzie Too. Speaking to Digital Spy, Blake confessed: ”My immediate reaction was to be a little bit nervous because of how brilliant I thought the first series was and how well acted I thought the first series was from everyone. And as soon as I started reading the scripts I was just like ‘ah this is just too good’.’
Blake – pictured in I Hate Suzie Too – said he was ‘nervous’ to star in the second season of the hit show last year
Sweet: Emily Atack reunited with Inbetweeners co-star Blake Harrison on Thursday evening at the Vanity Fair Rising Star BAFTA’s pre-party at JOIA in London
But while he’s grateful for all the show gave him, Blake did urge fans to stop shouting out some of the series’ most famous catchphrases – including ‘clunge’ and calling people ‘bus w****rs’.
Speaking on the ‘Distraction Pieces’ podcast in 2021, hosted by Scroobius Pip, Harrison says he regrets that so many of them became part of the English language – and wants people to stop.
He said: ‘It’s weird ‘cos you think, well I don’t think I’ve given the world anything great.
‘It’s like the word ‘clunge’. Or people shouting ‘bus w****rs’ at people standing at bus stops.
‘I kind of rather people didn’t do that. It doesn’t feel like the nicest or the best thing in the world to have contributed.’
James Buckley – Jay Cartwright
Left: James Buckley in the second Inbetweeners movie in 2014. Right: The actor, 35, pictured on Good Morning Britain
Born in Croydon in August 1987, James’ father Kevin worked as a postman while his mother Sharon was employed by the Home Office.
What’s more, he is another Inbetweeners star who discovered his love of acting early.
At the age of 14, he bagged his first role playing Jonny Vaughan’s god-son in the BBC sitcom ‘Orrible.
In 2008, he was cast as Jay Cartwright in he Inbetweeners and went on to star in all the three seasons and the two following movies.
James pictured in Stratford in 2017. He has gone to become the first celebrity to make £1m selling videos on Cameo
The star named Star Baker on The Great Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off in March 2020
Last year, the actor described it was the ‘best job in the world’ – but admitted that there is ‘not enough money in the world’ that would make him want to reprise his role.
During an appearance on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X, Chris asked James what he would say if the people who wrote Inbetweeners came to him with a new script for the show. James replied: ‘No. I don’t want to go near it anymore.’
Following the success of the show, James went on to appear in the TV show White Gold alongside his co-star Joe Thomas and also made a cameo in a 2020 episode of Doctor Who.
In September 2022, it was revealed that James had become the first UK celebrity to become a Cameo millionaire as he amassed $1 million (£930,000) on the app.
After joining the app in March 2020, he has gained ‘financial freedom’ sending fans personalised video messages, for a fee.
James spends most of his time running his successful YouTube channels, a gaming vlog called Completed It Mate
James pictured with his wife Clair Seel in 2022. The couple share sons Harrison, 10, and nine-year-old Jude
According to the platform’s founder Martin Blencowe, James ‘takes it very seriously’ and is ‘ready to do the work’ after it was reported he replied to 37 video requests per day in 2021.
He said: ‘James was incredibly popular from the start, but he’s stayed committed to his fans, always keeping an accessible price (even during his busiest periods) and giving his all to make each Cameo special.
But he now spends most of his time running his successful YouTube channels, a gaming vlog called Completed It Mate and another called At Home With The Buckleys.
James also documents his family life with his wife Mussel star Clair Meek, 33, who he shares sons Harrison, 10, and nine-year-old Jude.
The husband and wife duo brought out a book At Home With The Buckleys: Scummy stories and misadventures from modern family life, last year.
Charlotte Hinchliffe – Emily Atack
Left: Emily Atack pictured in 2008 when she was first cast in the show. Right: Emily Atack pictured in 2022
Emily Atack played popular girl Charlotte Hinchcliffe in the show, with her character and Will sharing a cheeky romance. She starred across multiple episodes of the show between 2008 and 2010.
Appearing on Rob Brydon’s podcast in April 2022, Emily revealed her award first meeting with Simon Bird – who was 23 at the time – on set.
She explained: ‘The first scene we did together, was the scene where he was pogoing on top of me.
‘He had to get on top of me and I remember thinking I’m going to have to say something to break the ice, and I said, ‘How does it feel being on top of a 17-year-old?’
‘He was like, “You’re 17! Oh my God.” He was mortified.’
Emily opened up about her awkward first meeting with Simon Bird on the set of the show and joked he was ‘mortified’ by her age
Atack came an impressive second place in Atack took part in the 2018 series of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.
Since then she became a panelist on Celebrity Juice and had her own sketch show called The Emily Atack Show.
In her new documentary Emily Atack: Asking For It?, the star revealed how she first started receiving online harassment when she was cast in the show.
Emily also claimed she is ‘constantly’ told she is ‘to blame’ for the harassment because she is ‘sexually liberated’, saying she wants to combat such thinking in her documentary.
Speaking of the sexy lads’ mags photoshoots which she posed for at the height of her Inbetweeners fame, Emily said she is proud of them and said other people took the ‘joy’ away from them for her.
Emily has often been open about her experiences of sexual harassment, even meeting MPs in parliament amid the propose bill to make cyberflashing an illegal offence.
Emily Head – Carli D’Amato
Left: Emily Head in character as Carli D’Amato. Right: The actress, 34, pictured in 2017
She was known as the hottest girl in school when she starred in The Inbetweeners as Carli D’Amato.
And since the show finished, Emily Head has gone on to bag a starring role in Emmerdale as well as making a name for herself in the London theatre scene.
Born in December 1998 in Fulham, Emily is the eldest daughter of award-winning actor Anthony Head – who is famous for his roles in Ted Lasso, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Little Britain – and his wife Sarah Fisher.
Speaking to You magazine in 2011, Emily explained how she used to put on plays for her family from the age of five.
She said: ‘I found one of those old programmes a while ago, and I was the usher, props person, director, writer, lead role, lead role’s mother, all the parts virtually, except the dog, which was played by Daisy, my sister – who’s also an actress now.’
What’s more, the star says she believes the The Inbetweeners’ success was down to being the ‘anti-Skins’.
She explained: ‘This is what the teenage experience is really like, in all its messy, fumbling, clueless chaos. But the biggest surprise is that parents enjoy it as much as their kids, and they watch it together. I guess everyone remembers being at school, and they can identify with one or another of the characters and their problems and longings and highs and lows.’
Emily Head pictured with father Anthony in 2008. She is the Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor’s eldest daughter
Emily went on to star as Rebecca White in Emmerdale (pictured) for two years after The Inbetweeners ended
Sharing the life lesson she took away from the show, Emily added: ‘Boys are dweebs and girls run rings round them. It’s true. Girls mature much earlier than boys and that’s when it all gets a bit witchy, because they’re aware of their power over them, and it’s all about how they exercise that.’
Following on from the show’s success, Emily starred as Rebecca White in Emmerdale from 2016 until 2018.
Since then, she’s moved into writing and recently starred in her own play The System – a psychological thriller about a man who was murdered at his own birthday party.
Greg Davies – Mr Gilbert
Left: Greg Davies pictured in 2010 when he was starring in The Inbetweeners. Right: The comedian pictured in April 2019
Welsh comedian Greg Davies, 54, plays the no-nonsense headteacher, Mr Gilbert, at the Inbetweener’s school, Rudge Park Comprehensive.
He had previously been a school drama and English teacher in real life for 13 years, before leaving the classroom to focus on his stand-up career.
Reflecting on his job at The Inbetweeners: Fwends Reunited show in 2019, he said, seemingly with a touch of sarcasm, that being a teacher was ‘a living hell’.
Davies joked on the show about his old class that the Inbetweeners was ‘the big break I needed to leave you all behind’.
When asked whether his teaching styloe was similar to his character’s he said: ‘Gilbert is a psychopath. I had all the instincts Gilbert had but it’s illegal to act on them in the way he did.’
He has since seemingly taken elements of the stern and harsh character forward in his comedy.
In 2018, Greg teased that the cast would ‘jump’ at the chance to do a third Inbetweeners film one day
Now he is better known by many as the host of Taskmaster, a BBC series in which he fills the title role of an imposing disciplinarian who gets celebrities to complete absurd challenges.
He also also had starring roles in sitcoms Man Down and Cuckoo, alongside Hollywood actor Taylor Lautner.
His stand-up comedy series You Magnificent Beast has been on Netflix since 2018 and another recent set, The Back Of My Mum’s Head, was broadcast on Channel 4 in late 2022.
In 2018, he teased that the cast would ‘jump’ at the chance to do a third Inbetweeners film.
‘We’d all jump at a film, I’m sure,’ the Mr Gilbert actor told The Sun at the BAFTA TV Awards red carpet. ‘But I’m unaware at this moment there are any plans. We had a right old run at it.’
Davies also joked: ‘Those four boys are nearly 50 now. We’re the same age, they’ve caught up to my age. If they do decide to do something with it, it’ll be a very different format, I guess.
‘But seriously, the affection that people I meet still have for that show is incredible. The enduring love for it is really exciting.’
Robin Weaver – Pamela Cooper
Left: Robin Weaver pictured in 2012 when the first Inbetweeners movie came out. Right: The actress, 52, makes a cameo in the new Disney Plus show Extraordinary
Robin, 52, is married to Shameless star Sean Gilder and played Simon’s unappreciated mum Pamela Cooper in the franchise.
As well as her role in The Inbetweeners, she is also most famous for playing Clara in The Muppet Christmas Carol, released in 1992.
She has appeared in a number of comedy roles over her career, featuring in an episode of BBC sitcom My family and The Baby – a comic horror on Sky Atlantic.
Her repertoire of comedy roles is set to expand as she has been cast in new comedy series on Disney+.
Her most recent comedic appearance was in new Disney+ series Extraordinary. She plays Colette in the first episode of the comedy drama created by Emma Moran in which everyone over the age of 18 develops a superpower.
Martin Trenaman – Alan Cooper
Left: Martin Trenaman appearing in an Inbetweeners episode in 2008. Right: The actor pictured in 2012
Simon’s father Alan didn’t appear in many episodes of the show – but he is memorable among fans for always embarrassing his son with details about his sex life.
Alan Cooper was played by Martin Trenaman – an accomplished comedy writer who has worked closely with Lenny Henry and written scrips to Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
Four years before landing the role in The Inbetweeners, Martin had a short-lived role as a locksmith in Noel Fielding’s hit show The Mighty Boosh.
He also went on to appear in E4’s PhoneShop, where he played the manager Lance.
Martin appeared in the 2021 ITV drama Quiz about Major Charles Ingram case concerning controversial his Who Wants to be a Millionaire? win
Speaking to CultBox in 2011, Martin admitted that he finds it weird being approached by fans of The Inbetweeners.
He explained: ‘I do get recognised quite a lot by fans and they are mainly delightful .
‘I did have one girl who spotted me on my mobile in deep conversation and still came over, nodded at me, put her arm around me and took a photo on her phone whilst I was mid-conversation, which was odd.’
Most recently, he appeared in the ITV drama Quiz – which was an adaptation of the controversial Major Charles Ingram case concerning his Who Wants to be a Millionaire? win.
David Schaal – Terry Cartwright
Left: David Schaal pictured in the first Inbetweeners movie in 2012. Right: The actor, 59, attends the Gold Movie Awards in January 2020
Just like Simon’s dad, Terry Cartwright only appeared in the show a handful of times – but he was the only character who could put Jay in his place.
Born in May 1968 in New Mexico, viewers wouldn’t know David was originally from the US based on his spot-on British accent.
Before he bagged the role of Jay’s dad, David appeared as Taffy in original series of The Office and also appeared in episodes of Casualty, Silent Witness and The Basil Brush Show.
In 2018, the actor explained how one of his scenes almost took a very morbid turn while filming the Caravan Club episode during series one on The Inbetweeners: Fwends Reunited.
James’ on-screen dad Terry, played by David Schaal, had a tough time shooting scenes for the Caravan Club episode during series one
Reflecting on the cold campsite washroom where he filmed, David explained that he was involved in a car crash on his way home from filming.
He shared: ‘I had to get half-naked, it was freezing cold and I had to p*** and fart though the whole scene while my c**k was shrivelled to the size of an acorn.
‘It was so cold I had a car crash on the way home because I went hot, cold, hot, cold and I fell asleep at the wheel.’
Last year, David appeared in three episodes of EastEnders as DS Foden and has recently co-written a feature film called Back to Archway.
Alex MacQueen – Kevin Sutherland
Left: Alex MacQueen pictured in character as Kevin Sutherland in the first season of the show. Right: Pictured at the Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans’ film premiere in 2019
Neil’s dad who was often the butt of the boys’ (far from politically correct) jokes, was played by Alex MacQueen.
Alex, who trained as a barrister as well as an actor, is also known for his role as Julian Nicholson in political sitcom The Thick of It.
Around the same time as his role in Inbetweeners, he played a sarcastic consultant in Holby City appearing in 75 episodes spanning from 2005 to 2010.
He went on to appear in the 2015 Cinderella film as the royal crier and in Peaky Blinders, in which he portrayed an MP.
Like Jay, Alex has set up a Cameo account to make money in and out of character as Neil’s dad.
On his account he charges £40 for a personal message and £1,230 for business videos.
Belinda Stewart-Wilson – Polly McKenzie
Belinda Stewart-Wilson played Will’s attractive mum in The Inbetweeners, appearing in all three series and both moves
Belinda, 51, played Will’s mum Polly McKenzie, despite only being 13 years older than the actor who played Will, Simon Bird.
Previously married to comedy actor Ben Miller, Belinda’s father was a British Army officer who later become Equerry to the Queen.
After spending her youth following her father on his military postings, being based in Germany and Austria as well as the UK, before attending the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.
In The Inbetweeners franchise, Belinda’s character Polly was the subject of teenage desires from her son’s peers.
But Belinda revealed she still receives ‘graphic’ messages from young men who fancied her character and she has even been shouted at in the street.
Previously married to Ben Miller, she has also appeared in The It Crowd, Casualty and Netflix mini series Stay Close
She told the Daily Star: ‘I’ve had some odd messages and suggestions over the years some of which are so graphic I can’t repeat them.
‘But you have to take it with a pinch of salt – it’s still nice to be loved.
‘I still get shouted at in the street and it’s great just being Will’s mum, forever in the hearts of the nation.’
Belinda had made a number of TV appearances before appearing on The Inbetweeners, including in The IT Crowd, Primeval and a one-off appearance on an episode of Poirot.
After the release of The Inbetweeners movies, she appeared in a number of episodes of Casualty as Ciara Cassidy as well as in Netflix’s mini series Stay Close.
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