Since it began in 2007, E4’s teen drama Skins has surpassed many a cynical expectation and accusations of improbable plotlines to give us three generations of characters that we grew to love.

We’ve picked out our five all-time favourite characters…

 

Cassie

Poor Cassie. Her timid, sugary exterior – all stretchy, dazzling grins and gigantic eyeballs – did little to shroud an unfathomable plague of anxieties.

Her bewildered utterances, peppered with ’wow’s and ’lovely’s were fuelled by both drugs and starvation, by an eating disorder that is as consuming as it is disruptive. As she struggled to overcome her afflictions and reveal her affection for Sid, Hannah Murray’s lovable yet inescapably unstable outsider was a captivating pleasure to watch.

 

Tony

Cocky, unruly, and consistently infuriating, Nicholas Hoult’s Tony was the friend everyone would hate to have. Except that the chances of escaping once he finds a companion are worryingly slim.

With careless arrogance Tony carved each of his relationships to his liking, from his blatant infidelity with girlfriend Michelle to shameless lifelong manipulation of best friend Sid, whose hapless social skills made him a splendid target for manipulation.

 

Naomi

If Skins has taught us anything, it would be that the level of change to be expected during college is almost limitless – as wonderfully demonstrated by Naomi (and less positively by Franky).

Politically focused and guarded, Naomi found little fault in her solitary existence. That was until the frustratingly sweet girl who kissed her at a party years before reminded her just how lonely she really was. Along with co-star Kathryn Prescott, Lily Loveless gave a touching performance as one half of an honest lesbian coupling that was celebrated by critics and fans alike.

 

Pandora

Perhaps the most unlikely Skins friendship was Effy and Pandora. The former was the alluring, mysterious sister of Tony Stonem, the latter an unbelievable illustration of innocence. Despite their differences, the pair became inseparable as schoolchildren in Series 2, making them the only characters to span two Skins generations.

Though both actresses performed brilliantly throughout, it was Lisa Blackwell’s adorable ninny that made their intertwining tales such a delight to watch.

 

Alo

When Skins returned for a fifth series, avid fans had doubts about a second cast shake-up. However, those who stuck around were cheered to find that, despite several alterations, Generation 3 still retained the trademark Skins charm.

An obvious standout was Will Merrick’s Alo, a restless country-dweller who valued his best mate Rich, canine companion, and vast pornography collection above his college career.

 

> Buy the complete Series 1-6 boxset on Amazon.

Who’s your favourite ever Skins character? Let us know below…