Millions of TV viewers were reminded of much-loved comedy duo Hale and Pace when they were unexpectedly mentioned during the Gavin And Stacey Christmas special.
More than 12 million Brits watched the very last episode of the beloved sitcom in which the characters Smithy (James Corden) and Nessa (Ruth Jones) finally got married.
During the special, Nessa said – in one of many anecdotes from her colorful past – that she once rented a room from Hale and Pace.
Gareth Hale and Norman Pace were a comedy duo who performed throughout Britain in the 1980s and 1990s.
The pair’s success was so great that they were given their own self-titled show, which ran for ten years and ended in 1998.
Now that they’ve been brought back into the public consciousness thanks to Nessa, MailOnline takes a look at where Hale and Pace are now.
Millions of TV viewers were reminded of much-loved comedy duo Hale and Pace when they were unexpectedly mentioned during the Gavin And Stacey Christmas special
Gareth Hale and Norman Pace were a comedy duo who performed across Britain in the 1980s and 1990s (pictured in 2018)
During the special, Nessa said – in one of many anecdotes from her colorful past – that she had once rented a room with Hale and Pace
Hale and Pace met at a teacher training college in South East London, but after five years of teaching they decided to pursue a career in entertainment in the 1970s.
They performed mainly at the Tramshed in Woolwich, London for seven years and later did a series of radio shows for BBC Radio 4.
They got their big break in the 1980s with performances on shows like The Entertainers and Pushing Up Daisies in 1984.
Two years later they received a one-off Christmas special on London Weekend Television.
The special’s success earned them their self-titled show, which debuted in 1988.
The series was usually a mix of sketches and stand-up comedy, with at least one musical number performed by Hale and/or Pace in each episode.
Some of their most memorable characters included bouncers The Two Rons and children’s TV presenters Billy and Johnny.
The show ended in 1998 and Hale and Pace have largely disbanded since then, save for the occasional joint appearance over the years.
Gareth Hale and Norman Pace were a comedy duo who performed throughout Britain in the 1980s and 1990s
Such was the pair’s success that they were given their own self-titled show which ran for ten years ending in 1998 – pictured dressed as Noel and Liam Gallagher
The series was usually a mix of sketches and stand-up comedy, with at least one musical number performed by Hale and/or Pace in each episode.
The show ended in 1998 and since then Hale and Pace have largely disbanded since then, with the exception of an occasional joint appearance over the years (pictured together in 2009)
They appeared on The Armando Iannucci Shows in 2001 and also appeared in the Ricky Gervais Christmas special and Stephen Merchant’s Extras in 2007.
Their most recent appearance as a duo was in 2018, when they starred in several Benidorm episodes as financial fraud investigators.
Outside of Hale and Pace, Gareth appeared in Channel 5’s soap Family Affairs from 2003 to 2005.
He has also appeared in shows such as Casualty and Father Brown. His most recent small screen appearance was in 2021 on the Nickelodeon children’s series Goldie’s Oldies as Grandpa Maury.
Norman, on the other hand, has mainly focused on theater work in recent years.
Gareth has continued with TV work, appearing in the show The Royal in 2009
Norman, on the other hand, has mainly focused on theater work in recent years
Norman has been married to wife Beverly since 1976 and they have three children (pictured together in 2002)
He played in Chicago at the Adelphi Theater on the West End and appeared in productions of One Man, Two Guvnors and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
In 2024, he appeared as Claude in The Baker’s Wife at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London.
In an interview with On:Yorkshire Magazine in 2018, Normal said he prefers the stage to the screen.
He said, ‘I prefer theatre. It’s the party atmosphere and if you make a mistake you have seven more chances that week to make it right.
‘There is a lot more pressure in television, the pressure is enormous when the camera is right in front of you, in your face.’
Norman has been married to wife Beverly since 1976 and they have three children.