The Gavin and Stacey Christmas final is set to air this evening (Image: BBC/Toffee International Ltd./Tom Jackson)
After a five-year hiatus, fans are eagerly awaiting their return to Barry Island for the final ever episode this Christmas.
The iconic hit comedy first aired in 2007, created by co-stars Ruth Jones and James Corden. The beloved show – which came to an end in 2010 – follows the lives of Welsh beauty Stacey Shipman (played by Joanna Page) and Essex lad Gavin West (Matthew Horne).
The series explores how the loveable couple manage to make things work long-distance travelling between Essex and Barry Island.
The TV show returned with a bang back in 2019 for a surprising Christmas special, which left viewers on the edge of their seats after Nessa (Ruth Jones) popped the question to Smithy (James Corden) after years of dating.
As the beloved show prepares to return for one final hurrah, the star-studded cast have paid tribute to one co-star who won’t be returning for the episode.
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Margaret John – who played Doris O’Neill on the BBC show – died at the age of 84 (Image: PA)
In an interview with Alex Jones for Barry Island Discs, the new Sounds special, Ruth, 58, and Joanna, 47, paid tribute to the late actress Margaret John who played Doris O’Neill in the show.
She sadly passed away in hospital in the heart of Swansea after battling with a short illness at the age of 84 back in 2011.
Joanna began: “Working with Maggie John has got to be one of the highlights of Gavin & Stacey. I just love how her character got bigger and worse and saucier and sexier as the series went on.
Ruth added that the actress was selected specifically for the role, explaining: “I do remember when we were casting Gavin & Stacey and we had this character of Doris, the next-door neighbour who was a little bit rude. Chris Gernon, our director, said, ‘I know exactly the actress to play that part – it’s Maggie John.”
The blonde bombshell explained that acting alongside Margaret sticks in her mind as she shot her first scene of the series with her.
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Steffan Rhodri – who plays Dave Gooch – will return this Christmas (Image: PA)
Page went on: “From, I think, the first series, I always remember filming it because it was my first scene as well.
“Getting off the bus, walking across the road and going, ‘Alright Dor?’ and then she gives me advice on what I should be like when I travel up to London to see Gavin, and she gives me a little bit of saucy advice.
“From that moment I just thought, ‘Oh my God, this woman is just so hilarious and lovely and brilliant’.”
The actress also lifted the lid on an iconic scene that saw Doris play the drums – completely off-beat – while Uncle Bryn sang So Strong at a baby’s christening. Joanna revealed that Doris’ out-of-time drumming was entirely improvised by Maggie.
She explained: “Because you had Uncle Bryn going for it with a song that you never ever really hear at a christening. And then you had Maggie, the wonderful Margret John who was on the drums, and we loved Maggie so much… but she was very nervous and she couldn’t get the timing.”
It comes after Steffan Rhodri – best known as coach driver Dave ‘Coaches’ Gooch revealed to Metro that he is set to return to the show after missing out on the 2019 Christmas special.
He revealed that the last scene of the show will see the entire cast together, teasing: “They planned it so that with the last scene we did, which is the ending, we were all together and it was very touching.”
The star commented on filming the show, adding: “It was like putting on a pair of old trousers. It was really lovely to hang out with them again.”
The Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special airs on Christmas Day at 9pm on One or catch up on the iPlayer.