Running for just 18 episodes and debuting ten years ago today, The Inbetweeners managed to latch itself fully into the public consciousness with its truly cringe-inducing toilet humour and comedic interplay.
Taking a leaf out of American gross-out comedy and British cringiness, The Inbetweeners was a hit for Channel 4 and launched two spin-off movies in the process. But what happened to Briefcase Wanker Will? Or Jay? And Mr. Gilbert?
Take a look, friends. OOH, FRIEND.
SIMON BIRD - Will Mackenzie
Believe it or not, Simon Bird is actually an accomplished violinist. Huh. There you go. Since The Inbetweeners, Simon Bird's been fairly busy. Most recently, he turned up in British indie film You, Me and Him. He also starred in Friday Night Dinner that went to four seasons and also starred in The Darkest Universe, a small art film that also starred...
JOE THOMAS - Simon Cooper
Like Simon Bird, Joe Thomas went straight into another TV comedy series, namely Fresh Meat. The concept between the two series was pretty similar, funnily enough. Thomas played an insecure college student who's struggling to cope with living in the big city. More recently, Joe starred in White Gold alongside Ed Westwick and fellow Inbetweener James Buckley. Not only that, he keeps off social media entirely. Which makes it very difficult for us to try find a recent photo of him.
JAMES BUCKLEY - Jay Cartwright
Unlike Joe Thomas or Simon Bird, James Buckley didn't bother going from The Inbetweeners into a TV series. Buckley turned up in The Lonely Island's Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping and, as mentioned earlier, starred in White Gold with Ed Westwick and Joe Thomas. Buckley also had a small role in the latest series of Red Dwarf, and leads sitcom Zapped, which is on Dave. He's also gone pretty heavy into YouTube gaming and has his own channel which is called, funnily enough, Completed It Mate.
BLAKE HARRISON - Neil Sutherland
If you've got kids who watch Bob The Builder, you're in for a shock. Neil from The Inbetweeners voices Scoop. Yes, the foul-mouthed teenager who talks about really, really inappropriate things voices a cute little JCB digger. As well as this, Blake Harrison has also starred in the remake of Dad's Army and indie comedy series Todd Margaret, starring alongside David Cross, Will Arnett and our own Sharon Horgan. Probably eager to get away from comedy roles, Harrison also turned up in Prime Suspect 1973 sporting a moustache and some dodgy period clothing.
All those people that say I've changed can shut up! I've always drunk smoothies @champneys in a robe. pic.twitter.com/GmIviPqkWe
— blake harrison (@blakeharrison23) May 6, 2016
EMILY HEAD - Carli D'Amato
Simon's girlfriend, Carli, is now probably more known to audiences as Rebecca White from Emmerdale, but she's been acting pretty steadily since she was a child. In fact, she comes from an acting family. Her grandmother is Helen Shingler, a noted British actress who worked throughout the '60s and her father is Anthony Stewart-Head, better known as Giles from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Oddly enough, he also had a brief role in The Inbetweeners Movie as Simon's father.
A throwback to my very first photo shoot featuring @AnthonySHead and @TTouchRocks #tbt #90s pic.twitter.com/4p8InwIRTa
— Emily Head (@emily_head) April 20, 2017
GREG DAVIES - Mr. Gilbert
Easily the standout of the show, Mr. Gilbert's laidback attitude reminded us of countless teachers from our school years. After The Inbetweeners, Davies began work on Man Down, a sitcom for Channel 4, which starred Rik Mayall as Davies' on-screen father. Despite Mayall's unfortunate passing, the series continued and is now into its fourth season. He's also touring his standup show pretty regularly, and is playing Bord Gais Energy Theatre on January 21st. Trivia time! Greg Davies actually was a secondary school teacher for thirteen years before he began working in standup comedy and drew upon his experiences whilst starring in The Inbetweeners.
Pros pic.twitter.com/qWn5aAdVBh
— Greg Davies (@gdavies) March 21, 2016
BELINDA STEWART-WILSON - Polly Mackenzie
Simon's "hot mum" had a pretty strong background in comedy before she starred in The Inbetweeners, having turned up in The Peter Serafinowicz Show and Bremner, Bird And Fortune. Since The Inbetweeners, she's turned up on Ripper Street, Citizen Khan, Disney's Evermoor and Nick Frost's pitch-black comedy Mr. Sloane. She's also in Sky One's comedy series, Sick Note, alongside Don Johnson, Rupert Grint and Nick Frost. More trivia! Belinda Stewart-Wilson is, in reality, only thirteen years older than Simon Bird. Which is, to be honest, a little disappointing.