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The late John Prescott once guest starred on Gavin and Stacey after being part of a long-running joke on the hit British sitcom.
The former deputy prime minister under Sir Tony Blair’s administration died earlier today, aged 86, after he was diagnosed with Alzhiemer’s.
He was an influential figure on the UK political scene and in the love life of fan-favourite 00s sitcom character Nessa (Ruth Jones) – which he fully embraced with a hilarious cameo in the show’s final season in 2010.
Throughout the episodes it became a bit that Lord Prescott was one of Nessa’s many former flames (and the dream father of her child)
This led to Jones inviting him to appear as himself at her character’s wedding to Dave Coaches in the season three finale.
And appear he did, congratulating Dave on the wedding to which he replied: ‘Cheers John, nice to see you.’ The whole affair delighted Lord Prescott, as he wrote about on his blog after the BBC confirmed his cameo in 2009.
Lord Prescott happily humoured the whacky sitcom storyline (Picture: BBC / Gavin and Stacey)
Fans remember his cameo fondly (Picture: BBC)
He said: ‘I’ve got to say I thoroughly enjoyed my cameo in Gavin and Stacey.
‘I’d heard about this running joke about me and this woman called Nessa in the series. Ruth [Jones], who plays Nessa, got in touch and asked if I’d be a sport and play a part.
Before joking: ‘As for Nessa, I suppose I have to accept it appears I’ve lost out to a better man,’ per the Times.
The surprise moment is also remembered fondly by fans.
‘I always loved the bit in Gavin and Stacey where John Prescott arrives at Ness and Dave’s wedding,’ @robbutler1984 wrote on X.
‘What a good sport, too, appearing in Gavin and Stacey at Nessa’s wedding after she said they’d dated in a previous series and took the breakup badly. RIP John Prescott!’ @rhysrmann added.
‘That bit was good. She had a running storyline about her and John Prescott and how he managed to get her out of some sticky situations, it was comedy gold that he then turned up at the wedding,’ @9acedarcourt echoed.
‘He never forgot his class and his roots. He could also take a joke fairly well, as seen here in Gavin and Stacey!’ @garyphoner agreed.
Gavin and Stacey will return for a Christmas special (Picture: BBC)
His brief stint in the Bafta-winning series remains his only credit as an actor on IMDb.
Although he has appeared as himself in plenty more reality episodes such as The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty, game show A League of Their Own and a guest presenter on Have I Got News For You.
The Labour politician has been remembered by many across the UK political and arts landscape including Sir Blair.
‘He was one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics; one of the most committed and loyal; and definitely the most unusual,’ Blair wrote in his tribute.
As for Gavin and Stacey, the show is returning for a final Christmas episode after leaving viewers on a cliffhanger during the 2019 special which saw Nessa propose to Neil ‘Smithy’ Smith (James Corden).
The upcoming festive episode, which we expect to be an emotional farewell, will also see the return of Stacey actress Joanna Page, Gavin actor Mathew Horne, Melanie Walters, Larry Lamb, Rob Brydon and Alison Steadman.
The final episode of Gavin and Stacey airs on BBC One and iPlayer on Christmas Day.
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