James Buckley has defended The Inbetweeners after his co-star Simon Bird insisted there would be no reunion and claimed he couldn’t remember his time on the show.
The actor, 37, described the noughties hit as one of the best things he’s ever made and said it still makes him laugh 16 years after it first aired in 2008.
The White Gold star’s comments come after Simon Bird, who shot to fame playing Will McKenzie, said that despite fans hurling quotes at him in the street, he doesn’t remember his lines and has moved on.
In contrast, James, best known for his role as Jay Cartwright said he enjoys talking to fans and would never want someone to worry about approaching him.
In an exclusive interview with MailOnline the actor revealed that meeting people who love the show is the ‘best part of the job’.
James Buckley has weighed in on The Inbetweeners after his co-star Simon Bird made a heartbreaking announcement about the reunion
The actor described the noughties hit as one of the best things he’s ever made and said it still makes him laugh, 16 years after it first aired in 2008
Simon Bird, who shot to fame playing Will McKenzie, previously said that despite fans hurling quotes at him in the street, he doesn’t remember his lines and has moved on
He said: ‘It’s really bizarre for some reason the Inbetweeners gets bigger and I get recognised when I’m out and about even more.
‘I love the Inbetweeners I’m ever so proud of it.’
He added that when people come up to him in the street he always tries to remember his lines, even if he needs some reminding.
James said: ‘I do usually understand the quote but sometimes people give you an obscure one and I was even in it and sometimes they have to explain it to me.
‘I don’t mind it – it just makes people happy and you stop there and have a little chat about what it was like to do and people’s eyes light up.
‘That’s the best part of the job, meeting people who really like what you do. I hope it doesn’t stop, I love it. It’s a two way thing – I enjoy it as much as them.
‘I always think, because I’ve been in situations where I don’t go up to people and bother them, I’d hate somebody to think that about me.
The actor’s wife of 12 years Clair agreed and said she even enjoys it when fans come up to her husband to chat about the show.
James, who starred at Jay Cartwright (pictured) said: ‘It’s really bizarre for some reason the Inbetweeners gets bigger and I get recognised when I’m out and about even more’
The actress, 36, added that the range of fans is impressive and noted that the show is as popular as ever.
But the couple, who married in 2012 and share two children, noted that balancing family life with fame can be difficult.
‘It doesn’t annoy me, it means I don’t have to talk to him for five minutes’, Claire said.
‘But it’s happened a few times when we’ve been going in to London and someone’s asking for a picture and we’re just about to get off a train.
‘You do feel bad then.’
James added: ‘It’s happened a couple of times were I’m pulling up to my stop and they come up and talk to me and I’m like “I’m just about to get off mate”
‘I hate that. I always try to avoid that because sometimes I wish I had had 30 seconds more to talk with them and then I go off and think about it when I’m lying in bed at night.’
But whatever form the fan interactions take, James insisted they’re never unpleasant.
James’s wife Clair, 36, is also pleased when people come up to talk to her husband but admitted that sometimes fans can accost them at awkward times like getting on a train
‘It’s always saying how much they love the Inbetweeners.’ he said.
Clair added that her and James always appreciate the love from fans but added that for those who don’t know the show, it can sound ‘nasty’.
‘Sometimes when it happens in public and someone who doesn’t know the Inbetweeners it can sound like a very unpleasant exchange’, she said.
James explained that he’s the show’s biggest fan and looks back on filming the show with fond memories.
The 2:22 star said: ‘It’s so uncool but it still makes me laugh. Sometimes I wish I was more cool but I’m just a big a fan of the Inbetweeners as anyone else.
‘From the first time I read it to now, I still think its really funny – we were constantly laughing all the way through it.’
James’s fond memories come after fellow Inbetweeners star Simon’s dismissive comments about the show’s popularity.
Simon previously told MailOnline: ‘People come up to me in the street and quote lines from the show and I have no idea what they’re talking about.
‘I don’t watch myself back, I can’t remember the show – I don’t think I’ve even watched it back since I made it in 2008.
He also poured cold water on rumours of a reunion.
‘I can tell you emphatically that there are no prospects of a reunion.’ he said.
Simon added: ‘We’d be happy to but it’s not up to us, it’s up to the writers, Iain and Damon, and I know they’re both very busy these days.
‘It’s not more likely to happen now than it was ten years ago I’m afraid.
‘I think it was a comedy that inhabited a certain time and, well, I think I caused quite a storm on social media in a previous interview where I said it wouldn’t be made now but I’m not sure it would.
‘So no there have been no discussion about a new show or film.’
But despite Simon’s lack of love for the show, James insisted it is one of the best things he has made and starring as Jay in the hit Channel 4 show fulfilled a childhood dream of his.
He confessed: ‘My whole thing really was I wanted to be in a British sitcom and I did that in my early 20s.’
James’s desire to put a smile on people’s faces is what led the actor to start making video messages on Cameo (pictured) where has earns more than £10,000 a week
He went on to explain that now he’s much more relaxed about the work he takes and is happy as long as he can make people laugh.
‘I’ve always just taken whatever comes because I do get asked you have these meetings with television companies and they go what would you like to do? and I go I don’t know.’ the YouTuber said.
And his desire to put a smile on people’s faces is what led the actor and podcaster to start making video messages on Cameo.
Lats year, the star was making an eye-watering £10,000 a week from sending fans personalised videos.
The joined the Cameo app in March 2020 and last year became the first non-US celebrity to make $1 million (£930,000).
James explained on Spencer Matthew’s Big Fish Podcast how he has ‘recorded forty thousand clips’ at £40 a pop but admitted he was worried no one would want him to send them a message.
He admitted: ‘I kept saying “this is going to be really, really embarrassing – my tiny fragile ego. I’m not the most confident person, this is going to send me to dark places.’
‘I’m going to sign up for this thing and nobody is going to want a video from me”, and it turned out everyone did!’
He continued: ‘I have done tens of thousands. Tens and tens of thousands, maybe thirty, forty thousand, something like that.
‘It was a godsend financially. But I never wanted to take the piss. I’m in the business of making people happy. I don’t want to rip people off.’
James and Clair also shared that the Finders Keepers career on Cameo has resulted i some unlikely fan interactions.
Clair revealed she is often sent videos of fan reactions to the personalised clip.
‘I get DMs all the time of reactions. I’ve been sent videos of somebody’s wedding and they’re at the reception and James’ face comes up on the screen.’ she said.
James added that he’s so pleased when fans are happy with the videos and he enjoys making people laugh.
James has appeared on The Great Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off in march 2022 (pictured) and has been at the helm of his successful podcast In Sickness and In Health with his wife Clair
He said: ‘I’m in the business of making people happy and I don’t know what that says about me, I guess I’m quite needy but I enjoy making people smile – it’s a big motivation for me.’
As well as Cameo, James has forged a successful career as a podcaster alongside his wife.
The pair’s first podcast series In Sickness and in Health followed the couple’s marriage as they discussed their relationship, bringing up children and everything in between.
Even before the podcast, James and Clair were inviting people into their lives with their YouTube channel At Home With The Buckleys, which spawned a book of the same name in September 2022.
And the married couple have launched a new podcast entitled simply The Buckleys which will delve into their pair’s marriage as well as give fans some behind the scenes stories of James’s career and a few special celebrity guests.
And Clair and James are more than happy to show off their marriage but admitted it can sometimes take its toll on them.
James explained he had been more interested in vlogging and making a podcast and Clair was initially very hesitant before he ‘just started shoving the camera in her face’
Clair added that the podcast is very true to their real life, she said: ‘We don’t click in to podcast mode, we just do what we’re doing anyway.
The married couple have launched a new podcast, The Buckleys which will delve into their pair’s marriage as well as give fans some behind the scenes stories of James’s career
‘I remember one time my mum had said a few of her friends had watched the vlogs and asked “they’re not really like that all the time, James being annoying and Clair getting annoyed?” and she said “they kind of are”.
‘If we’ve been doing the podcast and vlogging you go in that room and watch a bit of telly and I’ll go in that room and we’ll just have a break.
‘We do annoy each other.’
But despite the two now working together across several projects, they still make sure to have some quality time together.
James confessed they’ve never been ‘spicy’ but they enjoy a good beer and a curry but since having children they’ve had to change their habits.
James said: ‘No one enjoys going down the pub more than me and Clair but it becomes slightly tricky these days because you need someone stupid enough to look after the kids.’
The actors have now teamed up with PerfectDraft to share their tips for the ultimate night in and confessed: ‘We enjoy a Friday night in now, it’s become a ritual, we pretty much always have a curry and we pick a horror film and we get the PerfectDraft switched on.
‘And James has this thing on the app where he can get it chilled for a specific time so its ready to go at 5pm – we’re living in the future!’.
The Buckleys Podcast will launch on November 7 and will be released every Thursday.