BOYS TO MEN: THE INBETWEENERS STARS JOE THOMAS AND JAMES BUCKLEY TO FRONT NEW CHANNEL 4 COMEDY TRAVELOGUE
The Inbetweeners stars Joe Thomas and James Buckley are hitting the road for a new four-part comedy travelogue on Channel 4 exploring how to (and not to) be a grown up.
Now a little bit older, but not necessarily any wiser, best mates Joe Thomas and James Buckley - who first hit our screens as Simon and Jay in The Inbetweeners - are back on Channel 4 and on a mission to work out how adulting works and how exactly you make the most of midlife without a crisis.
Joe recently entered his 40s and James is joining him there next year, so they’re embarking on an epic-ish journey to figure out what that means and what’s acceptable for them to be doing now they’re ‘grown up’. Who should and shouldn’t they be hanging out with and where can and can’t they go?
With very different approaches to life, Joe with a more introspective and esoteric view versus James who takes a more straight-talking, no-nonsense approach, the pair will embark on a road-trip full of funny and unconventional adventures as they search for people and experiences that might give them some answers to their big (mid) life questions.
Vivienne Molokwu, Commissioning Editor, Channel 4, said, “Whether you rewatch an ep of The Inbetweeners or catch them on their hilarious podcast, the chemistry between Joe and James is undeniable. Their genuine friendship and different perspectives on life make them both engaging and entertaining so I can’t wait to see them explore the very modern question of what to do when you’re too old to be young but too young to be old.”
Will Macdonald, Idle Industries, said, “As someone who could quite frankly watch Joe and James decide which takeaway to order, the thought of seeing them set off in a small car to get answers to big existential questions, and crack the meaning of midulthood is nothing short of thrilling. And hilarious.”
Meanwhile, earlier this month Netflix announced that production begins on feature film The Inbetweeners 3, a continuation of the hugely popular sitcom and its two record-breaking films.
Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison and Joe Thomas will reprise their roles as Will McKenzie, Jay Cartwright, Neil Sutherland and Simon Cooper
The Inbetweeners creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris will return to write and direct the film.
The coming-of-age sitcom was originally broadcast on Channel 4 between 2008 and 2010. It followed the misadventures of suburban teenager Will McKenzie and his friends Simon Cooper, Neil Sutherland and Jay Cartwright at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive as they navigated school life, friendship and failed sexual encounters.
Over three series it set new ratings records for the channel and won multiple awards. Two hugely successful Film4-backed movies followed, released in 2011 and 2014 respectively.
The first went straight in at No.1 in the box office and set a record for the biggest opening weekend for a UK comedy at the time of its release with the sequel also breaking box office records.
The film will be produced by Claire Jones alongside Banijay’s Patrick Holland and Fudge Park Production’s Mark Lesbirel. Caroline Levy, Caroline Leddy, Phil Gilbert, Suzanne Knight, Tom Jordan, Farhana Bhula, Iain Morris and Damon Beesley will serve as executive producers.
Beesley and Morris said: "It's been super-fun hanging out with our friends again, and we're going to work hard every week to ensure there are no problemos making this new film for humans"
More details will be announced in due course.
