James Patrick Buckley was born in Croydon in 1987 before moving to Dagenham at two-years-old.
His love for performing began early, attending stage school from the age of seven and landing his first professional West End role as Clarence in Whistle Down the Wind at just 11, followed by Gavroche in Les Misérables.
James first gained widespread recognition for playing Jay Cartwright in the E4 sitcom The Inbetweeners, appearing alongside Simon Bird, Blake Harrison and Joe Thomas.
His character is the classic overconfident and exaggerating teen, who constantly brags about his romantic exploits, but it’s almost always lies or exaggerations.
The role earned him BAFTA, RTS and British Comedy Award nominations, and he reprised Jay in The Inbetweeners Movie and The Inbetweeners 2.
He then went on to star as the young Del Boy in the BBC comedy-drama Rock & Chips and took the lead role of Brian Weaver in the comedy-fantasy series Zapped.
Between 2017 and 2019, he reunited with The Inbetweeners creators and Joe Thomas in White Gold, playing double-glazing salesman Brian Fitzpatrick.
He has also appeared in Doctor Who, Red Dwarf, I Feel Bad and Channel 5’s Finders Keepers.
Alongside his television work, James has maintained a strong presence in theatre.
He performed in 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Gielgud Theatre from 2021–2022 and returned for another run in 2024.
His stage career began as a child in the West End, showing an early versatility that continues to this day.
James is also a musician, playing guitar and providing backing vocals on Steve Cradock’s album Peace City West, appearing in music videos and directing a video for Essex band The Milk.
A keen gamer, he runs the YouTube gaming channel Completed It Mate and, with his wife Clair, produces At Home With The Buckleys and podcasts including The Buckleys and In Sickness and in Health.
Off-screen, James married model Clair Meek in 2012.
The couple share a love of the Beatles and gaming, and have two sons, Harrison and Jude.
They currently live in Essex.
