What happened to the cast of Fresh Meat? From Hollywood roles to co-star breakups and a Strictly stint - the varied fates of the stars as Channel 4 comedy celebrates 15th anniversary

It's hard to believe that it's been 15 years since laugh-out-loud comedy Fresh Meat first landed on Channel 4.

Created by Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong - the brains behind Peep Show - the show ran for four years and followed the hilarious and painful realities of students starting university and living in a shared house.

The cast was made up of a mixture of well-known stars and relative newcomers, including an Inbetweeners actor and a well-known comedian making his acting debut.

But where are they now?

Since the show wrapped up after four seasons, the main cast went on to land some big roles and even cracked Hollywood, as well as enjoy romances with A-list stars. 

As the cast celebrates its 15th anniversary this month, the Daily Mail takes a look at what the stars of the show are doing now.  

Where are the cast of Fresh Meat now?From landing Hollywood roles to awkward co-star breakups to competing in Strictly, the varied lives of the cast as the Channel 4 comedy celebrates its 15th Anniversary

Jack Whitehall was probably one of the biggest names when the show began and went to crack Hollywood 

Jack Whitehall

Jack Whitehall was probably one of the biggest names when the show began.

He played Jonathan 'JP' Pembersley, the posh public schoolboy, who'd failed to get into a 'proper' university.

Since the series finished, Jack went on to become a globally recognised star.

He travelled around the world with his hilarious dad in Netflix's Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father.

He's also hosted the Brit Awards, the Royal Variety Performance and is a regular on Sky game show A League of Their Own.

Jack's biggest role to date has been as awkward teacher Alfie Wickers in BBC school comedy Bad Education and the subsequent movie, which he wrote and starred in.

The comedian has even broken into Hollywood, having starred in Jungle Cruise with Dwayne Johnson, and Clifford the Big Red Dog.

In 2023, he welcomed his first child with Roxy Horner, with the pair going on to tie the knot in April this year  

Zawe Ashton

After the series, Zawe Ashton's career has taken off and she is now also dating actor Tom Hiddleston 

Zawe Ashton played Vod, who was more interested in drinking and drugs than actual work in the sitcom.

After the series, the actress's career has taken off.

She starred in The Handmaid's Tale, was the lead character in Netflix horror Velvet Buzzsaw and played a villain in comic book movie The Marvels.

Her TV credits include Doctor Who, Misfits, Sherlock, Casualty, Holby City, and The Bill.

In 2023, she reached Hollywood blockbuster heights by entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the main villain Dar-Benn in The Marvels.

Zawe, who appeared in St. Trinians II, has been dating Hollywood actor Tom Hiddleston since 2019.

The pair got engaged and welcomed their first child in 2022. They quietly had their second child in December 2025.

Charlotte Ritchie

Charlotte Ritchie went on to appear in the News Years Day 2019 episode of Doctor Who, BBC comedy Ghosts and as George in Channel 4's Feel Good

Charlotte Ritchie played literature student Melissa on the hit Channel 4 show.

She was relatively unknown before Fresh Meat, but in 2015, she joined the cast of Call The Midwife as Nurse Barbara Gilbert.

However, fans were devastated when her character was dramatically killed off after she died of septicaemia caused by meningitis three years later.

The actress went on to appear in the New Years Day 2019 episode of Doctor Who, BBC comedy Ghosts and as George in Channel 4's Feel Good.

She also starred as Kate Galvin in the global Netflix hit thriller You and as Barbara in the 2023 film Wonka.

Most recently, Charlotte played Sophie Harrison in Channel 4's Dirty Business and in the Netflix show Legends.

Kimberley Nixon

After the show, Kimberley Nixon went on to appear in Ordinary Lies, Death in Paradise and ITV drama The Salisbury Poisonings

Kimberley Nixon played foul-mouthed and short-tempered Josie.

Before Fresh Meat, the actress had roles in films such as Wild Child and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging.

After the show, she went on to appear in Ordinary Lies, Death in Paradise and ITV drama The Salisbury Poisonings.

She also has a young son and a dog, regularly posting cute pictures of both on social media.

Earlier this year, she revealed she is 'fighting as hard as I can' as she battles a major flare-up of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), ADHD and autism that left her unable to move. 

The actress shared an emotional update to Instagram detailing a mental health setback that happened after attending the premiere of new Sky drama Under Salt Marsh.

Kimberley, who has been diagnosed with autism, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and OCD, looked happy at the BAFTA premiere alongside her co-stars Rafe Spall, Kelly Reilly and Jonathan Pryce.

But she later revealed the devastating impact it had had on her mental health.

'My OCD is really scratching at me to give in and to do all my compulsions - to ruminate, to obsess, to let it do its thing,' she said in a candid video on Instagram. 

'I'm fighting back as hard as I can.'

Kimberley, who is married to garden designer Cai Howells, the father of her son, said the setback came unexpectedly after a 'glitzy star-studded start to the week'.

She wrote in an accompanying Instagram story: 'I almost physically couldn't move my body.'

Kimberley developed severe postnatal OCD following the traumatic birth of her son during the pandemic, which saw her experience terrifying intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions, fearing she would harm her baby.

Greg McHugh

After Fresh Meat, he joined forces with Fresh Meat co-star Jack when he played homeless man Bonehead in the Bad Education Christmas special.

Greg McHugh played Scottish geology student Howard.

After Fresh Meat, he joined forces with Fresh Meat co-star Jack when he played homeless man Bonehead in the Bad Education Christmas special.

Since then, he has played Eddie Scott in The A Word and, more recently, starred in BBC's Guilt, and crime drama series Shetland.

Joe Thomas

Joe Thomas went on to star in Straw Donkey, Scottish Mussel, The Darkest Universe and The Festival

Joe Thomas was already a household name, having played Simon in The Inbetweeners.

He played Kingsley in Fresh Meat, with fans claiming he was just an older version of Simon.

The actor went on to work with Will actor Simon Bird again in Sky comedy Chickens.

His movie career also includes Straw Donkey, Scottish Mussel, The Darkest Universe and The Festival.

The actor also started a relationship with Hannah Tointon, who played Simon's short-lived girlfriend Tara in the E4 comedy, after they met on set.

The pair got engaged in 2017 and are now living together in London.

Earlier this month, Netflix announced that The Inbetweeners reunion movie was in the works.

Gemma Chan 

Gemma Chan went on to enjoy huge success in major Hollywood films including Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Crazy Rich Asians and a couple of Marvel films

Gemma Chan played student Ruth and was only in the first series of Fresh Meat.

She started dating Jack Whitehall in 2011, after they met on set.

The couple split in 2017, with a source telling The Sun: 'Jack and Gemma secretly pulled the plug on their relationship but remain good friends.

'For the past couple of years they've both been finding it difficult to make proper time for one another and, with their schedules showing no signs of slowing down, have decided to go their separate ways.

'It's sad but they remain supportive of one another.'

Jack sparked controversy when he spoke of a break up at a gig in late 2018.

He said: 'I've had a lot of changes in my life recently. I'm single now. I was in a relationship, it broke down, it was not gonna work, it was a long distance relationship, not geographically, just in terms of our expectations.

'She wanted kids now whereas I wanted to escape. I'm not good with kids.'

He added: 'I hold my hand up, I let the spark go. The sex wasn't great, that's my fault. I'm not good at sex.

'I'm too British for the whole thing. Sex with me is like arriving late at the theatre and trying to find your seat.

'A lot of shuffling and then from somewhere in the dark a whisper: 'I'm sorry.''

That year, she started dating Mamma Mia! and Captain America actor Dominic Cooper, whom she now lives with in London.

After her brief stint on the show, she has enjoyed huge success, starring in major Hollywood films including Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Crazy Rich Asians and a couple of Marvel films.

More recently, she starred in The Creator, The Boy and the Heron, and Don't Worry Darling. 

Gemma was also one of the 15 women chosen by Meghan Markle to appear on the cover of her guest-edited September 2019 issue of British Vogue.

Robert Webb

After the show, Robert Webb continued to grow his TV credits

Robert Webb was in the first two series of Fresh Meat, playing lecturer Dan.

After the show, he continued playing Jeremy through to the ninth series of the cult Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show.

His TV credits also include Ambassadors, National Treasure, Cold Feet and Back. 

In 2019, he competed in Strictly alongside pro dancer Dianne Buswell but had to withdraw due to underlying health issues.

That year, Robert got devastating news at a routine check up.

He had to undergo life-saving heart surgery after doctors found he had a heart murmur caused by a mitral valve collapse.

He also lost two-thirds of his blood, describing the operation as 'touch and go’, with the ordeal completely changing his outlook on life and leading him to quit drinking and smoking.

Rob has been married to comedian Abbie Burdess since 2006 and they have two daughters Esme and Dory.