The Inbetweeners' 'lost' episode bosses 'never wanted to be seen'

A lost pilot of The Inbetweeners has been making the rounds online almost 20 years after the first episode of the show aired. 

The episode, which was originally called Baggy Trousers, doesn't include any of the cast fans of the show have come to know and love, apart from James Buckley.

The star, 37, seemingly first started out in the show as hapless Neil Sutherland before eventually starring as the foul-mouthed Jay Cartwright.  

And suffice to say the pilot episode is worlds away from the show as we came to know it.

The clip shows Simon scrawling a long love letter in yellow marker on the pavement before Laura Aikman, show's love interest Carli, catches him.

As the nervous teen scrawls the love note on the floor and his two friends stand to the side giggling, Carli points out that he'd spelled her name wrong.

She says: 'It's with an 'I', my parents christened my with a 'Y' but I spell it with an 'I'' before the embarrassed teen scrambles for an excuse and replies weakly: 'We were playing dares?'.

One of Carli's friends then says: 'Who dared you to be the world's biggest saddo?' before everyone laughs.

Carli realises Simon is in love with her and confirms it with him before he asks if they could talk about it later.

Calri invites him to her house that evening while she's babysitting her brother. 

The clip then cuts to James Buckley, known for playing Jay Cartwright in the show, attempting to play Neil.

With his natural brown hair and dressed in a khaki green shirt, James tells the group he think Will's mum could be a prostitute. 

He adds: 'I'm not being funny, like a high class one that comes in a limousine.'

The clip also features suggested opening credits in a cartoon drawing style, with the four characters Simon, William, Neil and Lee. 

The only other star to make it past the first attempt of the show was comedian Greg Davies, who starred as Mr Gilbert. 

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The creator of the show previously revealed he regretted the first episodes and a full version of the very first pilot has never been shown, although James Buckley owns a copy.

The star is reluctant to ever let it see the light of day. 

In the reunion show, The Inbetweeners: Fwends Reunited, it was revealed James originally read for his co-star Blake Harrison's character, however after hearing his behaviour off-screen, creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris realised he was better suited to Jay.

Another detail that was revealed was that Doctor Who and House of Dragons star Matt Smith tried and failed for the role of Jay.

After seeing the clip online, fans of the show couldn't help but share their thoughts and labelled the pilot cringe-worthy and terrible. 

Fans took to X, writing: 'Thank God they changed it'; 'Looks like a tear 10 drama performance'; 'Woa this is mad! I have so many questions'; 'Jay was Neil that could have been horrendous.'; 'wow this looks bad'.

The resurfacing of the clip comes after Simon Bird has made a heartbreaking announcement about the rumoured new film in September. 

The actor, now 40, who shot to stardom on the noughties hit, has lifted the lid on the future of an Inbetweeners reunion, ten years after the last film was made.

The Friday Night Dinner star revealed that after three series and two films, there are no plans for a reunion any time soon.

The star, who has recently partnered with Hilton hotels for Graduate by Hilton: 'The Great Travel Debate', added that despite the sitcom becoming a household name, he admitted doesn't really remember his time on the show.

The actor made the shocking announcement in an exclusive interview with MailOnline and revealed that he was 'pouring cold water' on fan speculation that the cast would be getting back together.

Simon said: 'I'm afraid to be the one pouring cold water on this but it's not happening.

'I can tell you emphatically that there are no prospects of a reunion.'

He explained that while the cast would be more than happy to get back into character, it wasn't up to them.

Simon said: '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.'