THE FINALE of Gavin & Stacey aired on Christmas Day with the episode (allegedly) marking the conclusion of the series.
With the official title of Gavin & Stacey: The Finale, the episode picked up five years after the last Christmas special where Nessa had proposed to Smithy. All the main characters returned, including James Corden as Smithy, Ruth Jones as Nessa, Mathew Horne as Gavin, Joanna Page as Stacey, Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb as Gavin’s parents Pam and Mick Shipman, Rob Brydon as Uncle Bryn, and Melanie Walters (Gwen). Also, in a twist and best kept secret, Laura Aikman returned as Sonia.
Leading up to this finale, there was considerable excitement and nostalgia, given the show’s popularity and the cliffhanger from the 2019 Christmas special. The emotional response from both fans and cast members were noted, with many expressing that this truly is the end of an era for the beloved sitcom.
Filming started in September 2024 and concluded in October. The cast were spotted in various locations in and around Barry, including Barry Island, which has become synonymous with the show.
The finale was not set within a Christmas theme and very much centred around Smithy’s upcoming wedding to Sonia, who had fleetingly made her first appearance in Gavin and Stacey during the 2019 Christmas special as Smithy’s girlfriend.
The Plot
The families gather in Billericay for a celebration, which also serves as a backdrop for Smithy’s impending wedding, though it’s not clear at first who he’s marrying.
However, Sonia’s appearance in the finale left viewers gasping as they quickly realised it was not Nessa that Smithy would be marrying. There had been no hints beforehand that Sonia would be appearing. In fact, the BBC went to extreme lengths to keep Laura Aikman hidden away during the whole filming process and had deliberately kept her from attending wrap or screening parties. Even the actress’ parents had no idea she was in the show until they saw her on screen on Christmas Day.
The episode is filled with callbacks to previous episodes, like the corn-on-the-cob moment and Nessa’s Tic-Tacs instead of a toothbrush, providing fans with a nostalgic journey.
Neil the Baby, now 15, is beginning an apprenticeship with his father, Smithy, and is seen moving to Essex. Nessa, believing there is nothing for her now at Barry Island, closes the ‘Nessa’s Slots’ arcade business and heads to Southampton for a six-month tour at sea.
The wedding
At the wedding between the difficult Sonia and Smithy, the bride and groom’s families gather. When the registrar (played by Anna Maxwell Martin) asks the best man for the wedding rings, Gavin interrupts the ceremony and urges his best friend to rethink his decision.
Smithy’s entire family and friends, one by one, stand up to also encourage him not to go through with the marriage to Sonia. And, when father-figure Mick (Larry Lamb) also stands up, Smithy realises his true love for Nessa and ditches Sonia at the altar and races to Southampton with family and friends by jumping on Dave’s Coaches minibus to try and catch Nessa as she prepares to set sail.
Making it just in time, Smithy asks her to reconsider leaving and gets down on one knee and proposes to an ever-apathetic faced Nessa.
The episode then fast forward to Nessa and Smithy finally exchanging their vows to one another in a small ceremony in Barry and concluding with an emotional montage of the family celebrating the event in The Dolphin pub before taking a final group photo.
Reaction
The Gavin and Stacey finale attracted an average of 12.3 million TV viewers says the BBC making it the largest Christmas Day audience since 2008. The 2019 Christmas special had 11.6 million viewers.
On Glamorgan Star’s social media, viewers were overwhelmingly positive over the finale, including:
Tracey Okeeffe said: “I’m an Emotional wreck, what an episode.”
Denise Powell of Cowbridge said: “Absolutely brilliant. Well worth the wait.”
Sian Neale from Barry wrote: “Sat down as a family to watch. Even my 97 year old father in law a fan. All loved the perfect ending.”
Zena Mabbs added: “Absolutely brilliant written and acted by some very special talented people, all of whom are STARS!”.
From Penarth Matt Geldart remarked: “The icing on the cake of Christmas Day telly. Rounded off all the best bits of most of the characters’ stories (except Uncle Bryn). Glad to have got the best closure for Smithy & Nessa.”
DT
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