INBETWEENERS star James Buckley has revealed that he almost missed out on his career-defining role thanks to a blunder by his agent.
The 35-year-old shot to fame after starring as foul-mouthed compulsive liar Jay Cartwright in Channel 4’s The Inbetweeners from 2008 to 2010.
The sitcom followed the awkward lives of four adolescent friends in their final years of school, and produced a slew of hilarious moments that have become engrained in British pop culture.
Buckley’s character in particular has become one of the most popular parts of the show thanks to his creative insults and his brazen exaggerations and lies.
However, Buckley from Croydon, London revealed on Wednesday during an appearance on Spencer Matthews’ Big Fish podcast that he shockingly nearly missed out on the part.
Speaking to the Made in Chelsea star, Buckley explained: “I got a phone call from my then-agent. She literally said something like, ‘I’ve got some good news and I’ve got some bad news‘.
“‘The good news is that they’re going ahead with The Inbetweeners’ – or Baggy Trousers as it was called then.
“I was like ‘Oh brilliant, I’m going to be in a sitcom – absolutely amazing!’
“She went: ‘Bad news is that they’re recasting.'”
Spencer Matthews then asks: “So how is the good news good news?”
James replies: “That’s exactly what I said. I said there’s no good news here.
“I then got in touch with Damon Beesley, one of the co-creators of The Inbetweeners, and I said ‘Oh look, I heard that it’s going ahead, congratulations and you know, I know you guys are recasting but if there’s another part, I’d love to come in and do a job for you.’
“And he replied saying: ‘We want you to be Jay. Did your agent not tell you this? We need to see you tomorrow to talk to you about this and we’re going to audition a load of other young men.’
“If I’d never have sent that message, sort of hustled a little bit, I would never have turned up to the meeting the following day.”
The clip was posted to social media yesterday with the caption: “James Buckley nearly missed the chance to play Jay in the Inbetweeners?!”
The video has since received over 500 likes and comments from users left astounded by the revelation.
One user said: “‘Then-agent’.”
Another added: “That’s bizarre from an agent. Guessing they weren’t happy with the fees and wanted him to take something else?”
A third replied: “Jay made The Inbetweeners.”
Another commented: “Hope she was sacked.”
Despite the initial gaffe, Buckley – who originally tried out for the part of blissful idiot Neil Sutherland – turned up and went on to make himself – and his character – a household name.
Buckley has gone on to perform in more comedy-based roles having appeared in the Only Fools and Horses prequel Rock and Chips, as well as starring in Zapped and White Gold with fellow Inbetweeners star Joe Thomas.
Buckley squashed rumours of making more Inbetweeners on the podcast saying: “You know, lot of people still ask if there’s going to be some more Inbetweeners, and my answer is always the same.
“I always go look at me, look at a state of me, look how old and haggard I am, and I’m the youngest out of the boys.”
