Gavin & Stacey's final farewell

WHEN James Corden and Ruth Jones concocted an idea for a sitcom in a hotel in Leeds 20 years ago, they could never have imagined the sensation it would become.

- Sara Wallis

Starting out as a hidden gem on BBC Three, Gavin & Stacey went on to be a massive hit for BBC1.

Seventeen years later the two actor friends have penned one last episode that fans hope will bring a bang tidy ending on Christmas Day.

As an extra treat, BBC1 is also showing a documentary charting the sitcom's journey, with behind-thescenes footage - starting from the very first day of filming.

James, 46, says: "It's is based on this idea that we just had so much footage. For the 2019 Christmas special (which was the last episode to be shown) and this finale we had a film crew following the entire time.

"It's very emotional watching everybody because the very last thing that we shot is the very last moment of the show. So there were a lot of tears that day and I hope that people that like the show will enjoy getting a little glimpse into it. There's so much warmth and love - none of that is faked, that's all there in our relationships as a cast really."