Some of the Gavin & Stacey cast found out about the reunion when we did (Picture: Tom Jackson/BBC/PA Wire)
British comedy fans rejoiced last week when James Corden and Ruth Jones confirmed that a final Christmas episode of Gavin and Stacey is due in 2024.
And it sounds like the rest of the cast found out when we did.
The BBC comedy, which started all the way back in 2007, launched the careers of James Corden and Mathew Horne and become one of the country’s most beloved sitcoms.
Following the story of Mathew’s Gavin Shipman and Joanna Page’s Stacey West, it tracks the pair’s relationship as their families – from Essex and Barry Island respectively – get to know each other.
After initially wrapping up in 2010, the show came back in 2019 for a one-off Christmas special and ended on a dramatic cliffhanger and Ruth’s Nessa got down on one knee to propose to James’ Smithy.
Rumours swirled about a reunion in 2024 but they were quickly shut down by the cast on numerous occasions, only for it to be revealed in May that the rumours were true after all.
Alison Steadman only found out ‘the other day’ (Picture: Getty)
Now it’s been revealed that a bunch of the cast found out around the same time as us, with several stars apparently left in the dark over the show’s future.
Alison Steadman, who plays Gavin’s mum Pam, has said she hasn’t yet seen the script and only found out the show was coming back shortly before James Corden’s Instagram post.
She told The Sun: ‘I know it’s going to happen, I just haven’t seen the script – none of us has seen the script. We only found out it was happening for definite the other day.’
Gavin & Stacey started back in 2007 and became a British comedy classic (Picture: BBC)
Ruth Jones and James Corden wrote the final episode script together (Picture: Baby Cow/BBC)
Alison was asked whether her on-screen partner Larry Lamb, who plays Gavin’s dad Mick, had cleared his schedule to prepare for filming the final episode.
‘As far as I know, yes,’ she said, revealing that Mick will be making an appearance in the 2024 Christmas special.
Rob Brydon posted on Instagram shortly after the announcement, indicating that he might have known for a little longer than Alison: ‘So pleased it’s now been announced, can’t wait to work with everyone again and see what’s in store for Bryn.’
Up until last week, any talk of a reunion had been shut down by the cast. Suspicions were first raised in February when the information was leaked onto social media.
For a while, it was left up to fans of the show to work out the truth as viewers went looking for clues. Metro.co.uk spoke to body language expert Judi James, who was quick to say any denials of a reunion were false.
Joanna Page said back in February: ‘I haven’t got anything exciting to say. Ruth and James write it, so they’re the ones who know what’s going on. I’ve never asked them if there’s gonna be any more, so I’ve absolutely no idea.’
‘In truth, Ruth and I met up at Christmas,’ James Corden told The Sun. ‘And I know it will be a disappointment, but we didn’t talk about it in life-growing forms.
‘It is whether we decide to get into a room together and honestly I could not tell you what the chances are of that. We both have to be ready and right.’
Catch up with Gavin and Stacey on BBC iPlayer.
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