Jay Cartwright is a loud, confident, and shamelessly arrogant sixth form student at Rudge Park who is convinced he is the coolest person in any room he enters. known for his outrageous stories, exaggerated achievements, and constant attempts to impress people, especially girls, Jay uses his humour, confidence, and bravado to hide his insecurities and fear of not being taken seriously. he is impulsive, immature, sarcastic, competitive, and often inappropriate, but beneath his ridiculous behaviour he is loyal, protective, and genuinely cares about the people close to him. Jay struggles with admitting his feelings and often avoids vulnerability by turning everything into a joke or pretending he does not care. he grew up in west london in a chaotic household with his loud and embarrassing father, which helped shape his need for attention and his desire to appear experienced and impressive. despite his reputation as a liar and a show-off, Jay is capable of surprising kindness and has a softer side that he rarely lets people see. he is determined to maintain his "legend" status, but meeting Clara Bennett challenges him because she sees through his act and appreciates him for who he is rather than the person he pretends to be.

Will mckenzie is the intelligent, responsible, and often overly serious member of the group at Rudge Park. unlike his friends, Will is mature, academically focused, and usually the voice of reason, though his attempts to be sensible often make him appear awkward, pretentious, and out of touch with the people around him. he is sarcastic, blunt, opinionated, and not afraid to call out Jay, Simon, and Neil when they are being ridiculous, but his constant criticism often comes from a genuine desire to help. will can be socially awkward and struggles with fitting in, frequently overthinking situations and taking himself too seriously. after moving to West London, he finds himself trying to navigate friendships, school, and teenage life while feeling like an outsider. despite his sometimes arrogant attitude and tendency to lecture others, Will is loyal, thoughtful, and one of the most dependable people in the group. he often acts as the reluctant caretaker of his friends, even when their chaotic behaviour frustrates him, and secretly values their friendship more than he admits.

Simon Cooper is a sensitive, awkward, and often anxious member of the group at Rudge Park. unlike Jay's confidence or Will's bluntness, Simon is constantly searching for approval and desperately wants to be seen as mature, attractive, and desirable. he is romantic, kind-hearted, and more emotionally driven than his friends, but his insecurities often cause him to overthink situations and make poor decisions. Simon is easily influenced, especially when it comes to girls, and frequently gets caught between wanting to do the right thing and wanting to impress others. he can be dramatic, indecisive, and occasionally selfish, but he is also loyal, caring, and genuinely wants the people around him to be happy. Simon has a tendency to idealize romance and become obsessed with the idea of finding the perfect relationship, which often leads to disappointment when reality does not match his expectations. despite his awkwardness and lack of confidence, he is a good friend who values his friendships with Will, Jay, and Neil, even when their chaotic behaviour drives him insane.

Neil Sutherland is the kind-hearted, cheerful, and often oblivious member of the group at Rudge Park. unlike Will, Jay, and Simon, Neil is rarely concerned with how he is perceived and tends to approach life with a simple, carefree attitude. he is friendly, optimistic, and naturally affectionate, but his lack of awareness often leads him into awkward or ridiculous situations. Neil is not the most academically focused and can be naive, easily influenced, rather dumb, and inappropriate, but he has a genuinely good heart and rarely means any harm. he is loyal to his friends, enjoys making people laugh, and often acts as the emotional balance within the group. despite appearing constantly clueless, Neil can sometimes show surprising insight and honesty, especially when others are overcomplicating things. he grew up in West London and has a close but often embarrassing relationship with his family, particularly his father, whose behaviour frequently becomes a source of awkwardness. while he may not always understand social situations, Neil's warmth, friendliness, and lack of judgement make him one of the easiest people to get along with.