Gavin & Stacey: Ruth Jones and James Corden on the Christmas special show finale

How did it feel to be back writing and filming for Gavin & Stacey for the very last time?

Jones says: “It was a mixture of excitement, nostalgia and sadness. Sad of course because this is the last time these characters will ever be on screen again, but so exciting to bring them to life again. And nostalgic because we’d be on set with the cast and we’d go down memory lane remembering the early episodes. We often reminisced about Maggie John who’s no longer with us but we felt she was in spirit, especially when we were on Trinity Street.

“It’s always so enjoyable to be in the room writing with James. We act out the characters when we write - I love playing Bryn and Stacey and James does a great Pamelarr!”

Corden adds: “It felt incredible. I mean for a long time when Ruth and I were writing the show we actually didn’t know if it would ever come to fruition because really what we’ve always done is just write it for ourselves and then figure out if we think it might be good enough for an audience. It just felt so good to be back in a room with Ruth and then thinking we may have happened on a story which might be satisfying.”

Did you ever imagine you’d still be here writing the show all these years later?

Corden says: “I don’t think anybody when you start writing a TV show thinks you’ll be still writing these characters 20 years on, it’s nuts really. But I think when we finished the last special in the manner that we did, we knew that we’d very much left a door open. Ruth and I at various points had thought maybe we should do one, maybe we shouldn’t. But it’s such a privilege to be able to end a show on your own terms, like it’s not lost on us how fortunate we are to be able to do that.”

What does Gavin & Stacey mean to you?

Jones says: “It’s been a very special time in my life and it’s spanned seventeen years. The lovely friends I’ve made from it and the happy times we’ve had filming are such a joy. I feel very lucky to have been part of it.”

Corden adds: “Gavin & Stacey is just a huge part of my life, it changed my life in every way. The thing it means to me most, is my friendship with Ruth. To have an idea with a friend in a hotel in Leeds 20 years ago and then be sat here today with what it’s become… if you think about it too much you could really just start crying all the time. I love her so much and I’m so proud of what we’ve done.”

Mathew Horne and Joanna Page return as the eponymous Gavin and Stacey, while Rob Brydon is back as Bryn, Alison Steadman as Pam, Larry Lamb as Mick, Melanie Walters as Gwen, Oscar Hartland as Neil the Baby, Steffan Rhodri as Dave Coaches, Robert Wilfort as Jason, Julia Davis as Dawn and Adrian Scarborough as Pete.

Why do you think the show to be so popular and loved with audiences?

Corden says: “I think fundamentally the show is about love and about people who like each other. It's about family and friendship. There’s just so much warmth and love within them as a group. None of that is faked, that’s all there in our relationships as a cast really. I think there’s something very pure about watching people who get on and love each other without conflict. I hope people feel that on Christmas day.”

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale airs at 9pm on Christmas Day and A Fond Farewell airs at 7pm on New Year’s Day, with both on BBC One and iPlayer.