Gavin and Stacey fans have been left divided as the finale featured shocking romances and splits.
The episode aired on Christmas Day from 9pm to 10:35pm on the BBC, marking the conclusion of the story after the 2019 festive special, which ended on a cliffhanger when Vanessa 'Nessa' Jenkins, portrayed by Ruth, proposed to James' character Neil 'Smithy' Smith.
The special got off to a strong start as viewers went wild when Nessa lit up one of her trademark cigarettes AND a vape at the same time. Fans of the hit comedy loved seeing the BBC bend the rules ton promoting smoking in order to pay homage to Nessa's long-standing nicotine habit.
One fan wrote: "Gavin and Stacey fans were stunned Not me wondering if they’d sensor Nessa’s smoking in the big old year of 2024, only for them to have her swinging between a vape AND a cigarette #GavinAndStacey." Another typed: "PLEASE Nessa vaping and smoking at the same time she’s literally just a girl #GavinAndStacey."
Another laughed: "Nessa was always going to be smoking a cig and vape at the same time #GavinAndStacey." While another fan remarked that they felt Ruth's character had become iconic for her behaviour. One wrote: "Nessa vaping and smoking at the same time. my queen forever. #GavinAndStacey."
One surprising romance revealed in the finale was that Stacey's mother, Gwen West, who had previously struggled with love, had secretly been dating Dave Coaches for six months. This news shocked her family, particularly Bryn, who initially disapproved but eventually accepted their relationship.
Another unexpected moment came when Smithy proposed to Nessa, bringing closure to the cliffhanger from the 2019 special and leading to their wedding. That came after Smithy’s pal Gavin, played by Mathew Horne, stopped Smithy marrying his girlfriend Sonia - a match-up that had initially left fans devastated.
.The 90-minute festive episode also featured Sheridan Smith returning as Smithy’s sister Rudi, while Adrian Scarborough and Julia Davis reprised their roles as the newly divorced Pete and Dawn Sutcliffe.
Adrian Scarborough and Julia Davis reprised their roles as Pete and Dawn Sutcliffe in the special, but this time, they were depicted as a newly divorced couple. The show concluded with Nessa and Smithy tying the knot. Fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their thoughts on the gripping episode. One user happy with the way the finale ended penned: "There will never be a better show than Gavin and Stacey. thanks for all the laughs and happy memories, you’ll be missed!”
Whilst another wrote: "That was the most perfect way to end Gavin + Stacey. Tonight I’ve laughed. I’ve cried. And everything in between. Ruth Jones, Nessa, and James Corden, Smithy, said at the premiere that the show’s all about the emotions of love and everything in between - tonight showed that." A third penned: "SOBBING at gavin and stacey it’s about bloody time nessa and smithy ffs heart is healed finally." And a fourth wrote: "GAVIN AND STACEY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL YOU WERE EVERYTHING I WANTED AND MORE."
Some disapproving fans also took to X, with one penning: "Gavin and Stacey finale was proper average." A second wrote: "Gavin and Stacey was predictable, "while a third penned: "Sorry but that Gavin & Stacey ep was cr*p." And a fourth added: "Question those that enjoy Gavin and Stacey. That felt rushed and a out dragged obvious ending.."
This may not be the end, as Ruth Jones and James Corden announced a 2025 project following the Gavin and Stacey finale. Ruth and James have announced that they are writing a new book together, titled When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between: A Story Of Love And Friendship. The pair's literary offering with hit book shops in Autumn 2025 and will detail their journey to creating a comedy that touched the hearts of a nations.
Speaking in the wake of the book deal being announced, Ruth, 48, and James, 46, told fans: "We're so excited to be sharing the story behind the story of Gavin and Stacey. The show has played a huge part in our twenty-five-year friendship and we hope this book will give readers a fresh insight into how it all came about."
"Gavin and Stacey is a TV series like no other. Now, for the first time, its creators James and Ruth tell the full extraordinary story of how they turned their little show into a full-on cultural phenomenon," the book's publisher Penguin added in its description of the upcoming book.
"As they recount the rejection, obstacles and challenges they faced on the way to giving birth to their beloved comedy creation, James and Ruth also explore the flourishing of their own real-life friendship. While their now legendary on- screen characters Nessa and Smithy had a profound awkwardness to negotiate, culminating in that marriage proposal in the 2019 Christmas special, Ruth and James forged a magical relationship of mutual support based also on a deep, shared sense of subversive fun.
"Here, from their tentative initial pitch to the emotionally overwhelming final day of filming, the duo detail what’s occurred every step of the way, bouncing off each other in inimitable style. Full of revelations and never-before-heard stories, this is a one-of-a-kind book about a show that’s already gone down in history."
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