Joseph Owen Thomas (born 28 October 1983)[2] is an English actor and comedian. He played Simon Cooper in the E4 sitcom The Inbetweeners (2008–2010) and its two film adaptations, The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) and The Inbetweeners 2 (2014).

Joe Thomas
Thomas at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2024
Born
Joseph Owen Thomas

(1983-10-28) 28 October 1983 (age 41)
Chelmsford, Essex, England
EducationKing Edward VI Grammar School
Alma materPembroke College, Cambridge
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
Years active2002–present
Television
Partner(s)Hannah Tointon[1] (2012–present; engaged)
Children1

After The Inbetweeners concluded, Thomas remained connected to Channel 4, joining the cast of comedy-drama series Fresh Meat in 2011, portraying the role of Kingsley Owen until 2016. He was reunited with his The Inbetweeners colleague James Buckley when they both joined the cast of BBC Two sitcom White Gold, with Thomas portraying the role of Martin Lavender. In 2018, he starred in the comedy film The Festival.

Early life and education

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Born in Chelmsford, Essex,[3] as the first of four boys, Thomas attended King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford before reading History at Pembroke College, Cambridge.[4] At Cambridge, Thomas was a member of the Footlights, alongside his future Inbetweeners co-star Simon Bird.[5] Bird and Thomas served as the President and the Secretary of the Footlights, respectively, in 2005–2006.[6][7] After graduating in 2006, Thomas briefly shared a flat with Bird and fellow Pembroke graduate and Footlights alumnus Jonny Sweet.[8][9]

Career

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Thomas at the British Academy Television Awards in May 2012

After entering the performing arts via the Footlights, Thomas performed with fellow University of Cambridge students at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in a production of All's Well That Ends Well directed by author Duncan Barrett.[10][11] Thomas was in a double act along with Sweet, and they have performed their show, The Jonny and Joe Show, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[12]

Thomas' big break in television was his role as Simon Cooper in The Inbetweeners which was so popular that it spawned two feature films, The Inbetweeners Movie and The Inbetweeners 2. Together with Bird and writing partner Sweet, he wrote Chickens, a satirical sketch about three conscientious objectors during World War I. It was broadcast as part of Channel 4's Comedy Showcase in 2011.[9] In 2012, it was picked up by Sky One who commissioned a full, six episode series;[13] filming began in late 2012 and debuted in August 2013.[14]

Following this, Thomas starred in the student sitcom Fresh Meat as Kingsley Owen and played a Maths teacher in the first episode of the second series of Threesome. In 2017, Thomas began starring in the sitcom White Gold, along with his other The Inbetweeners co-star James Buckley.[15]

In 2018, Thomas began work on Proposal, a comedy radio series announced as part of BBC Radio 2's spring "funny fortnight", in which he plays Jamie, a man preparing to propose to his girlfriend Lucy (Pearl Mackie).[16]

In 2021, Thomas performed in his own show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[17]

Personal life

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As of 2017, Thomas resided on the Barbican Estate, London, with his fiancée Hannah Tointon.[18][19] In October 2022, they announced the birth of their first child, a girl.[20]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2011 The Inbetweeners Movie Simon Cooper
A Trick of the Light Joe (voice) Short film
2012 Straw Donkey Tom
2014 The Inbetweeners 2 Simon Cooper
2015 Scottish Mussel Danny
2016 The Darkest Universe Toby
2018 The Festival Nick Taylor
2022 We Are Not Alone Greggs
2023 Mummies Thut (voice)

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2008–2010 The Inbetweeners Simon Cooper 18 episodes
2011–2016 Fresh Meat Kingsley 30 episodes
2011 Comedy Showcase George Episode: "Chickens"
2012 Threesome Teacher Episode: "Back to School"
2013 Chickens George 6 episodes; also creator and writer
2017–2019 White Gold Martin Lavender 12 episodes; also writer of series 2, episode 2.
2019 The Inbetweeners: Fwends Reunited Himself Special
Taskmaster Himself (contestant) Series 8
2021 Richard Osman's House of Games Himself (contestant) Series 5, Week 3
2022 Would I Lie To You? Himself (guest) 1 episode[21]
Hobby Man Himself (guest) 1 episode[22]
2023 Great British Bake Off: Stand up to Cancer Himself (contestant) 1 episode; Star Baker[23]
Between the Covers Himself (guest) 1 episode [24]
Maternal Matt Malyon Upcoming ITV drama[25]

References

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  1. ^ "HubMesh – Hannah Tointon and Joe Thomas to marry". Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  2. ^ Christie, Janet (27 May 2017). "Interview: Joe Thomas". The Scotsman. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  3. ^ "Essex-born Inbetweeners star Joe Thomas on his new movie The Festival". The Echo. 10 August 2018. Archived from the original on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  4. ^ Leggett, Tabatha (16 November 2010). "Tab Interview: Joe Thomas". The Tab. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013.
  5. ^ "Cambridge Footlights Presents: Niceties". Cambridge Footlights. Archived from the original on 4 June 2008.
  6. ^ "Footlights: Alumni 2000–2009". Cambridge Footlights. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013.
  7. ^ Webb, Claire (9 October 2012). "Fresh Meat: Joe Thomas – I was quite similar to Kingsley at university". Radio Times. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  8. ^ Webb, Claire. "What's next for an Inbetweener". BBC Nordic. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014.
  9. ^ a b Lobb, Adrian (29 August 2011). "Chickens: What the Inbetweeners did next". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  10. ^ "The Ariel Society presents... All's Well That Ends Well". Camdram. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  11. ^ Webb, Claire (22 August 2013). "Chickens: Inbetweeners Simon Bird and Joe Thomas on playing overgrown schoolboys – again". Radio Times. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  12. ^ "Jonny Sweet: smell of success". The Independent. 18 January 2011. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  13. ^ Sky orders full series of wartime sitcom Chickens, retrieved 23 February 2012.
  14. ^ "Watch".
  15. ^ Jodie, Halford (24 May 2017). "White Gold: Inbetweeners writer honours Essex roots". BBC News. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  16. ^ Bley Griffiths, Eleanor (23 March 2018). "Doctor Who actress Pearl Mackie to star in new BBC comedy Proposal". Radio Times. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  17. ^ Bennett, Steve. "Joe Thomas: Trying Not To Panic : Reviews 2021 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  18. ^ Soteriou, Stephanie (22 January 2017). "The Inbetweeners' Simon and Tara are engaged in real life". Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  19. ^ "Joe Thomas' My London". 7 August 2014.
  20. ^ Adejobi, Alicia (4 October 2022). "The Inbetweeners' Hannah Tointon and Joe Thomas welcome first child". Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  21. ^ IPlayer, BBC. "Would I Lie To You? Series 15 Episode 9". BBC IPlayer. BBC One. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  22. ^ "Hobby Man". radiotimes.com. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  23. ^ Adewale, Dami (10 April 2023). "Essex TV star Joe Thomas wins Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off". Daily Gazette. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  24. ^ "Between the Covers". BBC iPlayer. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  25. ^ "ITV commissions six part medical drama, Maternal". itv.com/presscentre. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
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