The main four actors in The Inbetweeners were in their early‑ to mid‑20s during season 1, even though they were playing 16‑year‑olds.

Season 1 ages (quick view)

The first series was filmed and aired in 2008, so the ages below are for that period.

[3] [3] [3] [1][3]
Character Actor Actor’s age in Season 1 (2008)
Will McKenzie Simon Bird 24 years old in 2008.
Simon Cooper Joe Thomas 24 years old in 2008.
Neil Sutherland Blake Harrison 23 years old in 2008.
Jay Cartwright James Buckley 21 years old in 2008 (the youngest of the four).

Quick Scoop

  • All four “sixth form” lads were actually in their 20s when season 1 was made.
  • The age range of the core cast in early episodes runs roughly from 21 (James Buckley) up to 24 (Joe Thomas and Simon Bird).
  • This slight age jump is common in teen comedies, where older actors often play school‑age characters.

Fans still point out how convincingly they captured painfully awkward teen life, despite being several years older than their characters.

TL;DR: In season 1 of The Inbetweeners, the main cast were about 21–24 years old, not actually 16.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.