In the south of London, Jake was born into the Tanner family as the middle child. His sister, Laura, is four years older, and his brother, Alex, is three years younger. Jake’s mother, Alison, was a teacher, and their father, Brian, was a physiotherapist for a Premier League football team. Growing up, Jake was always active at school. He was studious, hard-working. He would always complete his work on time, and sometimes he would go above and beyond and stay behind school to help the teachers out with anything they needed. It was one of the reasons he excelled in his examinations — more than could be said for Laura and Alex. 

 

Because his father was a physiotherapist for a top club, Jake had always had an interest in football, even if it was forced upon him. But then something changed his opinion on it completely. One time, after a game with his local football team, Jake waited for his dad to pick him up. But he never came. On the way, his dad had been involved in a car accident and died. The damage was irrevocable, and Jake never played — nor touched — a ball again. He never even watched a televised game. That event in his life sparked his passion for driving — he wanted to make it a commemoration for his father, and Jake has since become an advocate for sensible driving and imposing harsher driving laws. 

 

College was the same as high school for Jake. His friendship group stuck together and they spent the majority of their time working hard during their free periods, and they allowed themselves brief moments to mess about and doss. When the time came for them all to depart to different universities, Jake was excited at the prospect of meeting new and interesting individuals. 

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One of them was Elizabeth. 

 

Elizabeth was Jake’s first ever long-term — and only — girlfriend. They met at university, in a cafe near campus. He was studying with his headphones on, computer in front of him, coffee on the side, when Elizabeth prodded him on the shoulder and asked him to stop tapping along to the beat of his music, right before she asked if she could borrow a highlighter. They got talking, learned things about one another before agreeing to another date. And the rest went on from there.