Gavin & Stacey star shares brilliant clip of family’s reaction as she made surprise appearance in final episode
Gavin & Stacey star Laura Aikman has shared a clip of her family's reaction as it was revealed she was in the final episode of the popular BBC comedy series. On Wednesday evening, December 25 (Christmas Day), over 12 million viewers tuned in to watch Gavin & Stacey: The Finale.
This would be the last ever episode of the series that has been on our screens and in our hearts for nearly two decades. The last time we saw the Shipman and West families was back in 2019, for another Christmas Special, where Nessa (played by Ruth Jones) professed her love to Smithy (played by James Corden) and got down on one knee to ask him to marry her, despite Smithy being in a relationship with Sonia (played by Laura Aikman).
The finale showed exactly what happened five years on. If you haven't watched the last ever episode, then stop reading this article and head over to BBC iPlayer now. If you have and want to read what our lifestyle editor, Kathryn Williams, had to say about the special episode, head over to her review here. For the latest TV & Showbiz news, sign up to our newsletter.
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On Thursday, December 26 (Boxing Day), English actress Laura Aikman confirmed that she reprised her role as Sonia. It comes after Gavin & Stacey director Chris Gernon revealed that the actress was "hidden away" during filming, which meant she had to stay in a different hotel to the rest of the cast and wasn't allowed to attend various events during or after production in order to protect the storyline. You can read more about this here.
It has also been revealed that the actress did not even tell her own parents that she was in the show, who tuned in to watch the final episode alongside her. On Instagram, the actress shared a video of her parents' reaction, with a caption that read: "The moment my family realise Sonia is ruining Christmas again...", and with the post's caption saying: "I take an NDA very seriously".
Her parents were understandably shocked by the revelation, as her character Sonia appeared on the screen, with a family member remarking: "You knew the whole time". Many fans shared their shock to the revelation too and congratulated the actress on her performance. In the comment section, one fan said: "I will say this…you played the part perfectly, because I actually hated the character... great performance."
While Reverend Kate Bottley of Gogglebox fame said: "We screamed at the telly here too!!! Great character, the shoe thing has actually happened at a wedding I presided at, you played it beautifully". Another fan remarked: "Pretty sure I heard the whole of the UK gasp", while another said: "The pressure to keep that secret! Huge congrats on making us hate Sonia with a passion!".
Meanwhile, her on-screen ex-fiance James Corden (Smithy) had watched the final episode alongside the show's co-creator, Ruth Jones (Nessa). On Instagram, the actor issued a heartfelt message on social media, revealing that it had been "the greatest privilege" to make the show. You can read more about this here.
