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Entertainment • TV Series

iCarly

iCarly is an American teen sitcom created by Dan Schneider that follows Carly Shay and her friends as they produce a popular web show and navigate adolescence.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

iCarly is an American teen sitcom created by Dan Schneider that follows Carly Shay and her friends as they produce a popular web show and navigate adolescence. The original Nickelodeon series ran from 2007 to 2012, and a revival series premiered in 2021 with the characters as adults.

Premise

The series follows Carly Shay, her friends Sam and Freddie, and later other classmates as they run a web show from Carly’s apartment loft. The show’s success creates comedic situations tied to online fame and teenage life.

Original run

The original iCarly series premiered in 2007 and ended in 2012 after six seasons. It became one of Nickelodeon’s best-known live-action sitcoms.

Revival

A revival of iCarly launched in 2021, continuing the story with the main characters as adults. The revival was designed for an older audience and reintroduced much of the original cast.

Cast

Miranda Cosgrove stars as Carly Shay, with Jennette McCurdy as Sam Puckett, Nathan Kress as Freddie Benson, and Jerry Trainor as Spencer Shay.

Key facts

  • The series centres on Carly Shay, who creates the web show iCarly with Sam Puckett and Freddie Benson.
  • The original show aired on Nickelodeon from 2007 to 2012.
  • The revival premiered in 2021 and features the characters as adults.
  • The core original cast includes Miranda Cosgrove, Jennette McCurdy, Nathan Kress, and Jerry Trainor.
  • The premise mixes web-show sketches with stories about friendship, school, and growing up.
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Canadian context

iCarly aired widely in Canada through Nickelodeon’s North American distribution and became part of the shared youth-TV culture for Canadian viewers.

Frequently asked questions

What is iCarly about?
It follows Carly Shay and her friends as they create and host a popular web show while dealing with school, family, and the complications of internet fame.
Who stars in iCarly?
The main original cast includes Miranda Cosgrove, Jennette McCurdy, Nathan Kress, and Jerry Trainor.
How many seasons of iCarly are there?
The original series ran for six seasons, and the 2021 revival adds additional seasons.
Is iCarly coming back?
Yes. A revival premiered in 2021 and continued the story with the characters as adults.
Who played iCarly?
If this refers to the title character Carly Shay, she was played by Miranda Cosgrove.
What happened to iCarly?
The original Nickelodeon series ended in 2012, and the franchise later returned with a revival series in 2021.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICarly
    Supports: Premise, original cast, series structure, and original run dates.
  2. AceShowBiz — https://www.aceshowbiz.com/tv/icarly/summary.html
    Supports: Synopsis and main cast.
  3. ScreenRant — https://screenrant.com/db/tv-show/icarly/
    Supports: Revival series description and adult setting.
  4. Plugged In — https://www.pluggedin.com/tv-reviews/icarly-2021/
    Supports: Original series ending and revival context.
  5. Common Sense Media — https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/icarly
    Supports: Premise, cast, network, genre, and revival note.
  6. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0972534/plotsummary/
    Supports: Plot summary and main characters.
  7. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICarly_season_1
    Supports: Season count context and premiere details.
  8. Fandom — https://icarly.fandom.com/wiki/ICarly_(TV_show)
    Supports: Title character and series premise.