When James Corden announced he would be making a Gavin & Stacey Christmas special, he stressed that this would be the last time fans would see the show.
But here’s some exciting news: the cast is working on a behind-the-scenes program to celebrate the film’s final showing.
Corden and Ruth Jones recorded it when they filmed a festive special in the Welsh seaside resort of Barry Island last week.
Cameras followed them as they mingled with fans and posed for over 100 selfies, capturing the interactions between the cast and their adoring audience, who had been arriving since last Monday.
Joanna Page – the actress who plays Stacey Shipman – was also seen being followed by a crew as she greeted fans. Sources on set say the footage will be used to create a documentary about the much-loved comedy series, which first launched on BBC Three in 2007.
The cast of Gavin & Stacey are working on a behind-the-scenes documentary to mark their final hurrah for the iconic series (pictured: Joanna Page, who plays Stacey, and James Corden)
The long-awaited final episode of the beloved British series will air on Christmas Day this year
One said: ‘When the cameras filming Gavin & Stacey stopped, other cameras moved on to film the behind-the-scenes action. There was so much beautiful footage for the programme; it was so special for the viewers. James is astute and realises that there is a great story to be told about the making of it and what goes on behind the scenes.’
Barry Island was inundated with people last week as the original cast returned to perform the finale.
In addition to Corden, Jones and Page, Mathew Horne, who plays Gavin Shipman, was also back on set, despite his alleged past feud with Corden. Rob Brydon, who plays Stacey’s uncle Bryn, was also filmed.
An emotional Corden told fans: ‘It’s all overwhelming, the fact that this is the last time we’re here on the island. It’s amazing. It’s the home of the show. It’s the centrepiece of it, and every bit of it you think, “God, I remember when we were here.”‘
Joanna Page – the actress who plays Stacey Shipman – was also seen being followed by a crew as she greeted fans (pictured)
Ruth Jones, who plays Nessa, and Joanna Page take a break from filming the behind-the-scenes documentary in Barry
On the first day of filming, the cast shared a photo of a clapperboard with the caption: ‘The final episode of Gavin & Stacey started filming today. Honestly, we’re a little excited.’
It is the first episode of the BBC sitcom since its last Christmas special in 2019. That episode, which was watched by 12 million viewers, ended on a cliffhanger with Nessa getting down on one knee and proposing to Smithy.
The show follows the ups and downs of Gavin and Stacey’s initial long-distance relationship, with him living with his parents in Billericay, Essex and she on Barry Island. The pair eventually marry, while their best friends Smithy and Nessa have a son, Neil, who is now 15 and will also return for the final episode.
Neil is played by the same actor, Oscar Hartland, who played him as a baby.