A reunion fans have waited over a decade for is stalling not because of rights issues or scheduling conflicts, but because two actors with a history neither wants to make the first move.
The Inbetweeners aired three seasons in the UK from 2008 to 2010, following the chaotic lives of four loser high schoolers, and later spawned two spin-off films released in 2011 and 2014. Earlier this month, news broke of a new Netflix project bringing the four leads back together. But according to The Sun, a personal issue between Emily Atack (who played Charlotte) and James Buckley (who played Jay) is now holding the whole thing up.
The Sun reports that Atack's absence from both films was tied to her past relationship with Buckley, who reportedly didn't want her involved at the time. That experience of being left out is said to have made Atack wary about this reunion. An unnamed source told The Sun: "She hasn't forgotten what happened last time. She was really angry about not being invited to the last reunion and never really got over how she was treated back then. Emily's basically thinking: 'I wasn't good enough then, so why do they need me now?'" The source added: "Emily and James have history, and working closely together again is going to be awkward no matter what."
These claims remain unverified, sourced only from anonymous tabloid tips, and neither Atack nor Buckley has publicly responded. Both have been busy with separate projects lately: Atack recently appeared in the Disney+ series Rivals, while Buckley is set to star in the 2026 film Mother's Pride.
Last year, Joe Thomas, who played Simon in the show, spoke to The Sun about the possibility of a reunion, arguing that the show's appeal was always rooted in the characters' stupidity: "I don't think 'wisdom' makes for good stories, and the characters in The Inbetweeners were kind of living in their own delusions." That comment sort of explains why, alongside waiting for a reunion, fans are also waiting to see whether these grown men are still just as much of a mess.
Netflix has yet to comment on the reported delay, and no timeline or finalized cast list has been announced.
