In 2007, a TV show called Skins aired on E4. It centred around a group of nihilistic sixth formers who led angst-ridden lives revolving around sex, drugs and rock’n’roll. Just a year later, another teen-centric series called The Inbetweeners arrived on our screens. This time, with its setting in homogenous suburbia and stories of tedious geography field trips, caravan parks, underage discos, house parties and trying to get served in the local pub, it was an entirely different animal. It was awkward, grubby, laugh-out-loud funny – and utterly relatable.

Perfectly capturing a microcosm of noughties Britain, with the kind of toe-curling teenage embarrassment that even Gen Z can relate to, it’s little surprise that – 15 years and two films later – The Inbetweeners still holds a special place in our hearts.

Another reason for the show’s phenomenal success is the pitch-perfect casting. It was the breakout role for each of the four leads, with a large chunk of the comic relief resting on the lean shoulders of loveable dimwit Neil Sutherland, played by actor Blake Harrison. Gormless and gross out, Neil was clearly “the dumb one” of the quartet. Yet the character’s innocence was also, at times, insightful. He was the only one of the group who truly lived in the moment and didn’t care about being judged by his peers, which in turn made him the most self-assured and confident of the bunch.

Peckham-born Harrison is today a married father-of-two in his late 30s, with a salt-and- pepper beard and a glint in his blue eyes. He is just the type of person you can imagine sharing a pint with in an unassuming boozer, which is more or less the scenario for Harrison’s new partnership with British shirtmaker Thomas Pink, where the actor sports various smart-casual ensembles around Soho. ‘I like to wear clothes that I feel someone will look at and enjoy; something artistic or funny,’ he says over a glass of water (well, it is 10:30 in the morning) at The French House pub. ‘I like the idea that my clothes can sometimes put someone else in a better mood.’

Harrison was in his early 20s when he landed the role of Neil. And while appearing on a mega-hit TV show so early in your career is the ultimate goal for many aspiring actors, it is also a double-edged sword. Neil was a vehicle for Harrison’s acting and comedic chops, but it’s notoriously difficult to break away from such a defining role. In that sense, Harrison is proud that he has turned down a number of projects since then that, he says, would have been ‘repeats’ of The Inbetweeners; wanting instead to ‘do other things’ and ‘challenge’ himself.

‘You have people around you saying, “Take the money” or “A job’s a job”. They don’t always understand that you’re trying to achieve something more than making money. You also have a voice in your head telling you that you probably won’t get another job and it takes strength to hear that and still say “No”.’

Acting, Harrison explains, was always on the cards. ‘I’ve never known wanting to be anything else,’ he shrugs. ‘My nan would say she asked me at three years old what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I said an actor. It’s been my dream my whole life and I’m incredibly fortunate that it worked out because I had no plan B. As an older man now, I see how risky that was but maybe if I had divided my time and passion to mitigate that risk it may never have happened for me.’

The gamble, or perhaps that touch of youthful naivety and confidence, paid off, and Harrison has enjoyed a varied career, with appearances in both comedies and dramas such as Kate and Koji and World on Fire , as well as roles in black comedy-drama The Great and Bafta-nominated shows I Hate Suzie and A Very English Scandal. In 2016, he starred as Private Pike in the Dad’s Army film reboot and he has also trod the boards, making his West End debut in Rob Hayes’s Step 9 (of 12) at the Trafalgar Studios in 2012 and, more recently, in the Olivier-nominated A Place for We at the Park Theatre.

‘There’s nothing quite like being on stage, especially when something goes wrong,’ he says. ‘Early in the run you get a shot of adrenaline and you have to be on your toes and improvise. It’s terrifying but exhilarating. But I don’t have a preference between TV, film or theatre. I usually just prefer doing whatever I haven’t done recently.’

Through carving his own path in a difficult and fickle industry, Harrison has learned not to compare himself to others, especially through the rose-tinted lens of social media.

‘Comparing yourself to others is natural but it can ultimately be depressing,’ he says. ‘It’s best to try and focus on your own journey and be happy for others doing well… unless you know they’re a d**khead. Then I just suggest swearing a few times and getting a takeaway to cheer yourself up!’

Modelling shirts and outerwear for Thomas Pink is another new string to Harrison’s bow. And when he’s not in front of the camera, the actor has started something of a “side career” by exploring his passion for MMA (mixed martial arts) via The MMA Fan Podcast. ‘I want to keep improving wherever I can,’ he says. ‘I love my job and I want to keep working on different types of projects.

Blake Harrison is wearing thomaspink.com