Gavin and Stacey star thrown astonishing lifeline after show axe
Gavin and Stacey played a huge part in the nation’s Christmas Day with millions of viewers tuning in for the final episode, which saw Smithy and Nessa finally tie the knot. The show saw the return of fan favourite actors including James Corden, Ruth Jones, Joanna Page and Mathew Horne.
Fans saw Dave Coaches (Steffan Rhodri) save the day when he got Smithy and the gang to see Nessa in time before she set sail, and had fans in fits of laughter at the same time. However, Ruth, who plays Nessa, and co-writes the show, revealed the character was actually only supposed to be in one episode. When asked if the characters evolved in the way you thought they would when the show first started or if they’d developed them as they went along, Ruth said: “We’ve developed them as we’ve gone along.
“For example Dave Coaches was only ever meant to be in one episode for the trip to London, but Steffan is such a great actor and he brought the character so brilliantly to life, we ended up writing him in pretty much all the episodes!”
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Steffan himself admitted that in series 1, he had to convince his agent the role was worth doing as it was such a small part. “Because Dave only appeared in a couple of scenes in one episode of series 1, I had to convince my agent that it was worth doing what she considered a small part,” he said.
“I sensed it was a hit and had no doubt about doing it. I teased my agent for many years about it afterwards,” the star joked. Steffan knew the show would be a success from the ‘smart, witty tone’ of the script, as he continued: “From the beginning, I thought the sharp, witty tone would be successful, especially as it was coupled with genuine affection for the characters rather than mocking them.”
Fans don’t have to be too upset about the hit show ending, as there is still one new instalment of the show coming up for them to enjoy. On New Year’s Day at 7pm, BBC One will broadcast Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell, a documentary special marking the end of the show after 17 years.
The episode will chart the journey of the show which began as a little-known sitcom on BBC Three back in 2007, and will feature unprecedented access to creators James Corden and Ruth Jones , as well as following the cast and crew as they film the final episode together.
