Gavin and Stacey to return for last episode on Christmas Day

BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey will return for its last-ever episode on Christmas Day this year.

The hit TV series about a couple who commit to a long-distance relationship last aired in 2019 for a one-off festive episode which ended on a cliffhanger.

In an Instagram post, writer and star James Corden shared an image of him and fellow creator Ruth Jones with a 2024 script titled: “Gavin and Stacey: The finale.”

He wrote: “Some news… It’s official!!! We have finished writing the last ever episode of Gavin and Stacey. See you on Christmas Day, BBC One. Love Ruth and James.”

The BBC said: “We’ll have: A chicken bhuna, lamb bhuna, prawn bhuna, mushroom rice, bag of chips, keema naan, nine poppadoms and the last ever episode of Gavin and Stacey!!!

“Coming this Christmas Day on BBC One and iPlayer.”

Jones had previously shut down rumours that the series would return.

The Welsh actress said it was “sadly a rumour” on RTE Radio 1 in February.

The comedy followed the two titular characters Gavin and Stacey, played by Mathew Horne and Joanna Page, as they pursued a relationship across Essex and Wales.

US outlet Deadline reported in February that the special was being produced by Steve Coogan’s Baby Cow, Jones’s Tidy Productions and Fulwell 73, which is co-owned by Corden.

Loose Women star Page and comedian Rob Brydon, who plays Uncle Bryn in the series, have denied knowledge of the show’s return.

But Page wrote on Instagram on Friday: “O my god it’s happening!!! So excited!!! Last ever Gavin and Stacey! Christmas Day @bbcone. Can’t wait to start filming!!”

The show, which picked up multiple accolades including Bafta and British Comedy Awards gongs, also stars Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb as Gavin’s mother Pam and father Mick, while Melanie Walters portrays Stacey’s widowed mother Gwen.

Lamb wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Well just to say to everyone who’s asked about another G&S… we just got the word from the BBC this morning… it’s definitely occurring.”

Running for three series from 2007 to 2010, the festive special in 2019 saw Smithy, played by Corden, and Nessa, whose characters had an on-off relationship, end on a cliff-hanger after Nessa, played by Jones, proposed.

The 2019 festive episode scored the highest overnight Christmas ratings in 12 years when it aired, attracting an average audience of 11.6 million viewers, making it the biggest festive special since Christmas Day 2008.

By the new year, it had been viewed by 17.1 million people, making it the biggest scripted programme of the decade at the time.

The special also went on to win the impact award at the National Television Awards in 2020.

Jones told the PA news agency during the red carpet event that the barrier was Corden living in the US prior to his exit from his talk show The Late Late Show With James Corden, which ended in 2023.

“We still have the same situation, which is that James and I live on different continents, so getting together to write is very difficult, so who knows?,” she said. “At the moment there are no plans.”

Corden has been cast in a London stage production of political drama The Constituent, which is set to begin at The Old Vic in June, and has starred in the Prime Video comedy series Mammals.

Jones went on to create and star in Sky One comedy drama Stella, for which she was nominated for a Bafta, and has also written novels.