Blake Harrison says Channel 4 bosses didn't have "high hopes" for 'The Inbetweeners'.
Blake Harrison
The 34-year-old actor played Neil Sutherland in the hit coming-of-age sitcom - which enjoyed a hugely successful run of three seasons between 2008 and 2010 and two feature films - but he admitted he had to work a second summer job for extra money.
Speaking to Radio Times magazine, he said: "When it was first delivered, a Channel 4 exec said, 'This is like the worst episode ever of 'Grange Hill'.'
"There weren't high hopes. In between the first and second series, I worked in the 'Scare Chamber' at Madame Tussaud's because we weren't paid well."
Emily Head - who played Carli D'Amato on the show - recently insisted a potential third film "wouldn't be the same".
The 30-year-old actress explained: "I think everyone sort of secretly hopes there will [be], I think we all probably secretly hope there would be, but I think it was such a special thing in the moment that you wouldn't want to do it and get it wrong [or make something that] wasn't what people were expecting.
"I think, to look back on something ... It's like if they do 'Friends' again now, it wouldn't be the same. I think it was really of the moment."
However, James Buckley - who played Jay Cartwright alongside Blake, Simon Bird (Will McKenzie) and Joe Thomas (Simon Cooper) - has previously admitted he would be up for revisiting his outrageous character.
Speaking on Channel 4's special 'The Inbetweeners: Fwends Reunited' programme - which marked 10 years since the hit comedy came out - in January, host Jimmy Carr asked James if he'd agree to another edition of the series, to which he quickly responded with an authoritative "yes".
Tagged in Joe Thomas Blake Harrison Emily Head