Saturday Kitchen host says 'wow' as Gavin & Stacey star cut off by harsh comment
Saturday Kitchen host Matt Tebbutt was seemingly taken aback when a comment was made about the ending of Gavin & Stacey. On Saturday, December 14, actress Alison Steadman appeared on the cooking show to promote her new memoir, Out of Character, and to discuss what it was like to film the final episode of the hit BBC sitcom.
For nearly 20 years, the English actress has played the role of Pam Shipman - the devoted wife of Mick, played by Larry Lamb, and loving mother of Gavin, played by Mathew Horne. This Christmas, she will be reprising her iconic role alongside the cast as they say goodbye to the show's fans in the last ever episode of the comedy show. For the latest TV & Showbiz news, sign up to our newsletter.
While appearing on BBC's Saturday Kitchen, the actress spoke extensively about her time on Gavin & Stacey, especially the connection she had made with her fellow cast members. When asked if she was instantly drawn to the show back in 2007, she said: "Most definitely.
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"I loved the script to start with, and our first day of rehearsal, we didn't know who were playing Gavin or Stacey, and Jo Page came running up to me and she is so sweet. She said, 'Hiya, I'm playing Stacey'. And I went, 'You are perfect!'. And then Mat Horne came wandering over and said, 'Hi, I'm Mat, I'm playing Gavin'. And I thought, my little prince. It was just absolutely perfect".
She also spoke fondly of her on-screen husband on the show, Larry Lamb, who plays Mick. She recalled a time when he had "lost the plot" with her. She said: "I was laughing for at least 20 minutes, I couldn't get the line out. And the director was being like, 'Okay, let's try again', and I just couldn't.
"It was Julia Davis [Dawn] opposite me and the twinkle in her eye. And Larry, as you say, is the gentlest, kindest bloke and we are both so fond of each other, but he just said, 'Oh for goodness sake, get it together. Just say the line'. And we had to take a break, and that never happens because it is always so busy, on time, you've got to get it.
"And the director said, 'Okay, let's all just take a break', and she made a cup of tea for me, and said, 'Go outside and calm down'. And eventually we did come back and we did it, but I have never forgotten that day."
When asked what it was like to film the final episode, which will be aired on Christmas Day this year, Alison said: "It was really emotional, we had the best time, it was lovely. We all really enjoyed it. And being back in Barry, you know, everyone was so warm and friendly. It was lovely.
"But, of course, when we finally wrapped it was really sad because we're thinking we won't be together again. We were all really emotional." While Olly Smith interjected: "You'll always be together on BBC iPlayer though", which roused some laughter from Matt Tebbutt, before he responded with: "Wow!".
While on the show, Alison also spoke about her latest memoir - Out of Character, in which she talks about her journey and the various roles she has played as an actress. When asked what motivated her to write the book, she said: "I never wanted to do an autobiography, because that is too much about your private life and that's not really fair, I don't think, to talk about your friends and family, when they probably don't want it.
"So when it was suggested to me that I write a memoir, which would just be about my career, and how I decided to go into acting from being a child, I thought, that sounds good, that sounds nice."
Later on, she also discussed about meeting Ruth Jones and James Corden as the three appeared in another comedy show called Fat Friends, a few years before Gavin & Stacey was created. When asked if she got on with the two back then, Alison said: "We all got on, it was a lovely job, Fat Friends. We had a lot of fun. And obviously, James and Ruth became friends and after that they got together and decided they were going to write Gavin & Stacey".
Gavin & Stacey: The Finale will air on Christmas Day at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
