Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones opens up about writing Christmas special with James Corden

14 June 2024, 09:00

Ruth Jones has revealed all about writing the eagerly awaited Gavin and Stacey Christmas special.

Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones, 57, has opened up about writing the final episode of the iconic show with her co-star James Corden, 45.

The festival special was confirmed earlier this year which will see Nessa, Smithy, Gavin, Stacey, Pam, Mick and the rest of the Barry Island gang return to our screens for a Christmas Day extravaganza.

While the plot of the anticipated episode is being kept under wraps, fans have been crossing their fingers that Smithy and Nessa end up together, after the 2019 special hinted at a possible engagement.

• Listen now on Global Player, the official Heart app: Brydon &

Ahead of filming the Christmas special, Ruth spoke to Heart Breakfast's Jamie Theakston and Davina McCall about how she and James wrote their final Gavin and Stacey script.

Ruth candidly revealed: "We have written it because what we felt was it’s lovely how loved it is as a show and people always ask us ‘Oh is there going to be more Gavin and Stacey?’ And the truth was we didn’t plan to do it. We always thought we’d leave it where it is and I would always say to people you know, use your own imagination. Imagine whether they got married, imagine where they’re living now and all that stuff.

"And we would get asked and asked and asked and then you know, James was coming back from America and we said look let’s get together and talk about it and see whether there is anything there. So what we decided to do is not tell anybody and to write the script and see if there was a script there, because if there wasn’t then we hadn’t told anyone and nobody would be any the wiser.

"So we got together and we just really enjoyed writing it because we love those characters, we love them so much and we’ve had great fun writing it. I just hope people will enjoy it on Christmas Day."

Watch Ruth Jones talk about Gavin and Stacey on Heart Breakfast here:

Ruth Jones talk all things Gavin and Stacey reunion!

While it isn't clear what is going to happen in the festive special, Ruth did jokingly hint that we could see death come to Wales.

Speaking to her co-star Rob Brydon, 59, on his podcast 'Brydon &', Ruth explained that she is currently starring in Sister Act on the West End and is often quizzed by fans on what they can expect from the final episode of Gavin and Stacey.

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The actress stated: "At the end of Sister Act, I go out of the stage door and people and there’s often people there wanting programmes signed, which is lovely. But they’ll say 'I’m the biggest Gavin and Stacey fan' or 'thank you so much for this Christmas special' or 'You must be so excited, I can’t wait til Christmas'."

Ruth continued: "A couple of people at the stage door, say 'What’s going to happen, is Smithy going to say yes?'. And I go to them, 'Do you seriously want me to tell you what’s going to happen in the Christmas Special?' And they go 'yes!'. And I go 'but you don’t, because what happens on Christmas Day when you come to watch it, you’ll know what’s going to happen.' And they go, 'please tell me'.

"So, I go 'there’s going to be helicopter crash, most of the cast are going to get killed', and I just make stuff up."

During her interview on Heart Breakfast, Ruth also explained that she can't leave Nessa alone, and has even incorporated the iconic character into her role in Sister Act on the West End.

Ruth disclosed: "I do have a tiny little nod to Nessa in that scene. When I come on stage, I came on in this nightie and this little night cap and somebody wolf whistled at me and I just turned to them and I just went ‘oh’. And the audience love it so we’ve kept that in now.

"Sometimes they just go so mental right, they cheer to it and I kind of look at them like ‘right I’m going to get back into the scene now because I’ve got to start being Mother Superior again’. And they kept on shouting and sometimes people, usually someone from Wales, will go ‘Oh Nessa, what’s occurrin?’

"So the other night I did sort of turn to them and go ‘yeah alright, calm down’ and I do quite like being able to do that."

Fans will be able to watch Ruth as Nessa in Gavin and Stacey on Christmas Day on BBC One.

Announcing the news, James Corden took to Instagram, penning: "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 ❤️"

• READ MORE: James Corden says he 'looks forward' to working on Gavin & Stacey with Ruth Jones
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