After unwrapping all of our presents first thing in the morning, Brits got a very special gift on Christmas Day at 9pm – the conclusion of Gavin and Stacey.
Although you might be heartbroken that the beloved BBC series has come to an end after 17 years, you can at least take solace in the fact that the characters got a happy ending.
Okay, so Sonia (Laura Aikman) got left at the altar, but the Barry-Essex gang all got what they wanted. Hurrah!
There was plenty of drama and tear-jerking moments in the final ever episode of the comedy, however, there was also a lot of hidden jokes and references slipped in too.
Gavin and Stacey The Finale
Credit: BBC
0 seconds of 54 secondsVolume 90%
James Corden and Ruth Jones paid homage to some of the most hilarious storylines in Gavin and Stacey history in the Christmas special – but you might have missed a few.
Between dabbing away your tears of nostalgia and reaching for the Quality Street, you might have taken your eye off the ball for a brief second.
But don’t fret, as we’ve rounded up a list of all the subtle puns and Easter eggs which you might not have picked up on while watching the episode on 25 December.
‘Neil the Baby’ belting out The Beatles
Neil the Baby isn’t such a baby anymore – in fact, he’s a 17-year-old apprentice plumber (BBC)
I don’t know about you lot, but I was expecting ‘Neil the Baby’ to walk in wearing Pampers while a dummy was hanging out of his mouth.
But viewers got the shock of their life when they saw Smithy (Corden) and Nessa’s (Jones) son announcing that he is about to embark on a plumbing apprenticeship with his old man.
And there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when the 17-year-old – who has been played by Oscar Hartland since series three – whipped out his guitar at the wedding.
So, what was the significance of this poignant moment where he belted out ‘Blackbird‘ by The Beatles?
Well, it turns out that the actor is actually a budding musician who was in a grunge rock band called Redwood City, while he also dabbles in DJing.
Hartland auditioned on The Voice Kids last year, which is apparently the reason why the cast wanted him to croon at Smithy’s wedding – so he could show off his talents on TV once again.
Get the badge in
Even for Smithy, Gavin just couldn’t betray his beloved team Tottenham Hotspur (BBC)
Smithy’s stag was supposed to be an epic trip down memory lane, where his gang of hilariously-nicknamed mates visited all his old haunts.
The itinerary itself was a reference to some of his memorable moments in Gavin and Stacey…I mean, who can forget the foam party with Snow Patrol’s ‘You Could Be Happy’ laid over it?
However, the failed stag do also had some more subtle Easter eggs slipped in it too.
When the lads turned up at the pub to celebrate, they all revealed that they were sporting West Ham footy shirts – much like how Smithy surprised them with personalised tops for Gavin’s final hurrah in series one.
But eagle-eyed fans spotted that Gavin (Mathew Horne) just couldn’t bring himself to be a traitor and sport the club’s badge, so he pinned a Tottenham Hotspur’s one on top instead.
As well as this, people noticed that Uncle Bryn (Rob Brydon) was sporting number 16 on his West Ham shirt – which was a nod to Smithy’s favourite player, Mark Noble.
Neil the Baby also donned a number 16 shirt in the 2019 reunion special, so the devil really is in the details.
Tic-Tacs
Nessa travelled light for her trip up to Essex – but she still had her trusty Tic-Tac’s with her (BBC)
Nessa is known to be resourceful, but swapping a toothbrush and some toothpaste for Tic-Tac’s isn’t a tip we’ll be stealing from her.
In the finale, she packed her must-haves – AKA, her HRT and feminine wipes – into a carrier bag before flinging it in Bryn’s car boot ahead of their trip up to Essex.
When she was asked whether she’d brought her essentials for dental hygiene, Nessa brushed off everyone’s concerns and reassured them she was sorted.
After all, she was armed with a packet of Tic-Tac’s to ensure she had minty fresh breath…which is exactly how she equipped herself for an excursion in the first ever episode back in 2007.
When she was packing her bags to accompany Stacey to London to meet up with Gavin, she relied on the mints to get her through.
And she did end up getting lucky with Smithy that weekend – so take from that what you will.
The fishing trip
The fishing trip is something that’s best left a mystery, despite how much we all want to know what happened (BBC)
Gavin and Stacey fanatics have had sleepless nights about what went on during Bryn and Jason’s (Robert Wilfort) infamous fishing trip – but sadly, we still don’t know.
Dave Coaches (Steffan Rhodri) is the only other person in the world who knows, but sadly, he was interrupted by a smoke alarm when he was on the cusp of spilling all the gory details.
All that we managed to find out was that it ‘was cold, the tent was up and the sun was down, the fire was blazing, and the soup was bubbling in the billy can…’
And that’s all we’re ever going to know about the fishing trip, which has been a running joke throughout the series.
The characters reckon it’s better this way, with Wilfort recently explaining: “I’d like to say now and forever: the joke has always been you don’t find out what happened on the fishing trip. It’s funnier that way.”
Instead, you’ll have to let your imagination run wild.
KFC = DTF
Just give Nessa and Smithy a corn-on-the-cob and leave them too it (BBC)
If Gavin and Stacey (Joanna Page) had got their pals to a KFC drive-thru at the start of the Christmas episode, it would have saved a whole load of drama and heartache.
The finger lickin’ fried chicken always lights a fire under Smithy and Nessa, as the pair memorably got down and dirty after mulling over who would eat the last corn-on-the-cob in series two.
But in the finale episode, Smithy stepped out of the black cab that the gang were travelling in after it all got a bit too much for him – even though he later confessed he did ‘want’ to share a corn with Nessa again.
Viewers were hoping the pair might hash everything out and get back together after he exited the taxi, but ever the gentleman, Smithster stayed faithful to Sonia and trotted off home instead.
Still, the reminder of the notorious corn-on-the-cob seduction technique is one which was much appreciated by viewers.
Gwen’s omelettes
Gwen’s omelettes deserve a place in the Gavin and Stacey hall of fame (BBC)
If Gwen leaves a lasting legacy, it’s got to be how handy she is with a pan and what a crackin’ omelette she can make.
She’s whipped up all sorts of variations of the egg-based dish over the last 17 years and has offered one to every single person who has ever stepped near her stove.
They are talked about that much in the series that a lot of us end up fancying an omelette ourselves after binge-watching old episodes of Gavin and Stacey.
Therefore, it was essential that Gwen’s culinary delights got a mention in the Christmas episode.
Just like old times, Stacey asked her mother to make her and Ness an omelette – and the dish later ended up doing Bryn and Jason a massive favour.
Gwen forgot that she had put the pan on while all the Dave Coaches and fishing trip drama unfolded, until the smoke alarm alerted her and she yelled: “Oh my god, the omelettes!”
Talk about timing.
Dear old Doris
Doris didn’t get forgotten in the finale episode (BBC)
Although a lot of familiar faces returned for the finale, there were a few memorable characters who were missing from the line-up.
One of these was actress Margaret John, who played the comically vulgar yet still adorable neighbour, Doris, on the hit show.
She had a host of comical one-liners and words of wisdom to share throughout Gavin and Stacey, but sadly, the actress passed away in 2011 aged 84.
John’s character was known for oversharing about her sex life, so it was only right that a subtle joke about her raunchy antics was slipped into the final episode.
You might have missed it, but at one point, Gwen said: “Doris used to hire a male stripper on a Sunday morning. Just for herself. After church.”
Dawn then responded: “Aww, what was she like?”
A fitting tribute for a sex-positive queen like dear old Doris.
Pam’s iconic phrases
Pam Shipman’s hilarious expressions will certainly be missed by fans (BBC)
Pam (Alison Steadman) and Mick Shipman (Larry Lamb) are Gavin and Stacey icons, as well as relationship goals.
But Gavin’s mother is the one who has given us countless comical quotes over the years while readjusting to life without her ‘little prince’ living at home in Essex.
Therefore, it was an absolute must that some of her most memorable lines were included in the final episode.
For example, she once comically told her daughter-in-law Stacey that she ‘wants to get a life’ as what she told her ‘was really boring’.
In the finale, Pam instead told Mick to ‘get out more’ and ‘get a life’ as he fired golf balls around their house while watching sports on the telly.
Of course, there was plenty of opportunities for her to utter ‘Oh my Christ’ too – but did you clock the return of her iconic slap?
She gave her best pal Dawn a smack around the face to stop her spiralling, in a scene echoing the one in the bogs of a restaurant in season two.
Sugar t**s
There’s a new sugar t**s in town – and it’s Gwen(BBC)
Nessa has had a few interesting nicknames throughout the series, but the one Dave Coaches bestowed her with is certainly the most memorable.
Throughout their relationship in the early days of Gavin and Stacey, her other half would affectionately refer to her as ‘sugar t**s’ – no matter who was around to hear it.
However, it seems that the term is simply Dave’s preferred nickname for his current lover, as he shockingly used it to refer to Gwen.
After their secret affair was rumbled because he made an absolute racket upstairs, he later told her: “Love you, sugar t**s.”
So move over Ness, as there’s a new sugar t**s on the block in Barry.
Owain Hughes
Owain Hughes got a special mention in the final ever episode too (BBC)
Another running joke also got some much needed airtime in the finale – Owain Hughes.
In the first episode of season three, Gavin tried to get used to working with his new Welsh colleagues and is introduced to the infamous bloke played by Steven Meo.
As the pair introduce themselves, his new co-worker says: “Owain Hughes. And before you ask, no I don’t!”
Bizarre, we know – but in the final episode, Gavin uses the pun himself, before adding: “Once you know, you know, right?”
Sadly, the rest of us are still in the dark…but it turns out this was done on purpose, in a similar fashion to the fishing trip.
Meo recently revealed that it was a ‘red herring, designed to wind people up and spark debate’.Featured Image Credit: BBC
Topics: Gavin And Stacey, TV, BBC, UK News
Olivia Burke
Advert
Advert
Advert
Published 12:35 27 Dec 2024 GMT
Gavin and Stacey finale had hidden reference that appeared in number of episodes which most viewers will have missed
Did you notice this ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ detail?
The tearjerking Gavin and Stacey finale had numerous references from previous episodes – including one which you may never have noticed.
Forget Wallace & Gromit or the King’s Speech as Gavin and Stacey: The Finale was the biggest star of Christmas Day TV, with over 12 million viewers tuning in at 9.00pm to catch the 94-minute special episode.
Gavin & Stacey: The Finale trailer
BBC
0 seconds of 55 secondsVolume 90%
An episode which has received rave reviews from critics, the final Gavin and Stacey outing saw the series’ will they/won’t they couple Smithy and Nessa finally commit to each other after 17 years of avoiding their feelings.
Not only did the finale leave all of the characters where they needed to be but we were also treated to various callbacks and references from previous episodes, such as Owain Hughes, KFC corn-on-the-cob, the legendary fishing trip and Nessa substituting a toothbrush for Tic Tacs.
However superfans, eagle-eyed viewers or anyone who recently finished a rewatch ahead of the finale (myself included) may have noticed a tiny reoccurring detail which features in several shots of Barry Island.
Can you guess what it is?
Notice anything familiar from this scene? (BBC)
We are of course talking about the Border Collie dog which can be seen running across the promenade of the Welsh seaside town.
Now a split-second clip of a dog running across the screen is completely irrelevant to the wider plot of the series, however we can’t ignore the fact that our four-legged friend pops up in numerous episodes – which means it certainly isn’t a coincidence.
If, like me, you spent your most recent rewatch of the series pausing the episode every time the pooch ran on-screen to make a point to friends and family then don’t worry, as you’re not the only person to have spotted the detail.
One viewer pointed out recurring moment in a recent Reddit thread and asked other fans if they had any idea why this was the case.
https://embed.reddit.com/r/gavinandstacey/comments/1bm8lr9/has_anyone_noticed_this_recurring_running_dog_at/?embed=true&ref_source=embed&ref=share&utm_medium=widgets&utm_source=embedv2&utm_term=23&utm_name=post_embed&embed_host_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ladbible.com%2Fentertainment%2Ftv%2Fgavin-and-stacey-christmas-finale-hidden-jokes-easter-egg-list-145678-20241227
Several users pointed out that the dog is most likely Peroni, the Border Collie belonging to the real-life owners of Marco’s Cafe.
“It’s the dog that the owners of Marco’s own in real life. I’ve not been to Barry in about ten years but it was still there then,” one user commented, while another revealed the pooch even had his own Facebook page at one time.
“Peroni the dog died back in 2015. He was indeed Marcos dog and had free range of the shop and promenade. He was lush, even had his own Facebook page, Peroni Pup,” a second user added, which would suggest the dog’s appearance in the 2024 and 2019 specials was either reused footage or another pet belonging to the owners.Featured Image Credit: BBC
Topics: Gavin And Stacey, BBC
Brenna Cooper
Advert
Advert
Advert
Published 18:13 26 Dec 2024 GMT
Gavin and Stacey fans have a theory as to what happened on the fishing trip after last ever episode
We’ve all wondered what happened between Bryn and Jason on their infamous fishing trip
Watching the final ever episode of Gavin & Stacey, there will be fans all over the country asking what on earth happened on the infamous fishing trip.
It is one of the greatest mysteries in TV history, and all we have known prior to the finale is that it caused Bryn and Jason to become less close due to how heinous whatever happened is, it was cold, soup is involved, it’s legal in the United Kingdom specifically, and they were on their knees.
Many hoped that what actually happened would be revealed in the final episode of Gavin and Stacey.
We know that Bryn and Jason are involved in this fishing trip (BBC)
Those people would all have been disappointed as the finale seemed set to reveal it – just to pull it away and lock away the truth for eternity, though we probably should have seen it coming given Larry Lamb’s prior comments about it.
Despite this though, some fans reckon they already had it figured out prior to this.
The topic was started on the subreddit r/GavinandStacey following a theory that someone put in.
They posted the long theory, stating: “Hear me out: I think Bryn and Jason accidentally killed someone on their fishing trip.”
Before you go clicking off because they said the incident is ‘legal in the country’ and this person thinks they killed someone, hear them out, they address that too.
The fishing trip has been a mystery for years (BBC)
They referred to how the 2019 Christmas special has Bryn saying it’s ‘dark in every sense of the word’ and Jason saying that they ‘knew nothing about camping’.
The poster went on to say: “This makes me think that while setting up the tent, Bryn and Jason somehow accidentally killed someone, maybe with the hammer or tent poles, im not too sure on the specifics of how they did it.
“Then to answer the question of the soup, I think that Bryn and Jason, in an attempt to stay warm when it was “freezing cold” decided to make some soup to also take their minds off what they’d just done.
“Dave doesnt understand how a man and his nephew could kill someone and hide the body only to just carry on with what they were doing.
The fishing trip talked about in the Gavin & Stacey finale
Credit: BBC
0 seconds of 1 minute, 35 secondsVolume 90%
“Then when Dave speaks about it defying the laws of gravity, they could have hid the body in a tree using the rope they’ll have had from the tent.”
Then, finally, how is that legal in this country? Well, to that they claimed that ‘involuntary manslaughter wasn’t introduced as a law in Wales until the late 1990s’ – however, this part of the theory is a bit questionable as involuntary manslaughter laws were introduced in England and Wales with the Homicide Act in 1957.
While one person commented querying that they don’t know they’d call that ‘perfectly legal’, to which they said: “I get where youre coming from, and to most people it would be, but maybe that’s just what Brynn said to a young Jason to calm him down.”
Another fan pointed out: “I like the theory, especially as the two families are named after serial killers.”
The reason why we’ve never found out was explained at the film’s screening, so we’ll just have to accept that it’ll be a mystery forever.
But in retrospect with how unsettling this theory is, maybe it *is* better to just accept we’ll never know.Featured Image Credit: BBC
Topics: Nostalgia, TV and Film, TV, BBC, Gavin And Stacey
Michael Slavin
Advert
Advert
Advert
Updated 08:50 26 Dec 2024 GMTPublished 08:29 26 Dec 2024 GMT
Reason why Neil the Baby sang at wedding ceremony in last ever episode of Gavin and Stacey
Admit it, you had tears when he started singing ‘Blackbird’ in the Gavin and Stacey finale
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Gavin and Stacey: The Finale
Ah Boxing Day, the day typically used for seeing the ‘rest of the family’ or for recovering from a heavy day before.
But I for one need it just to recover from last night’s (25 December) big Gavin and Stacey: The Finale.
I mean, that had to be the most perfect last ever episode in TV. From having us hanging over the fishing trip to that Dave Coaches reveal, it was just brilliant.
Gavin and Stacey The Finale
Credit: BBC
0 seconds of 54 secondsVolume 90%
And of course, it was emotional too – plenty of us had the tears flowing just over Neil the Baby singing at the wedding ceremony.
During a cast Q&A with press before the Christmas day release, they explained the reason why they got the lad to sing.
Very much not a baby anymore, the son of Nessa and Smithy is played by Oscar Hartland.
The Welsh lad has however been playing the role for quite some time as he was one of the original babies used back in series three.
But despite his appearance in the 2019 Christmas special, the now 17-year-old hasn’t quite pursued acting, opting for music instead.
Going to cry again in a minute… (BBC)
Hartland is a budding musician, previously being in grunge rock band Redwood City.
“Music is my thing at the moment, I’m loving it,” he told Wales Online back in 2022. “I want to do stuff like Guns n Roses, Queen, and The Darkness. I also love DJing as well, I have some decks.”
According to entertainment journalist Scott Bryan, the cast explained in a Q&A they decided to make him sing at the wedding scene because he sang on The Voice Kids.
Hartland took part as a solo artist in the 2023 series of the singing contest, with Gavin and Stacey creator Ruth Jones leaving him a message on the phone (in Nessa’s voice, of course).
Hartland on The Voice Kids in 2023. (ITV)
In the surprise from his ‘special friend’ ahead of his audition she said: “Oh, Neil the Baby, what’s occurin? We knows what’s occurin, you’re on The Voice Kids.
“Don’t forget you take after your mother when it comes to music.
“You go out there and you smash it kid alright!? Crackin!”
Jones obviously didn’t appear in the wedding scene as Nessa was busy making her way to go work on the ships and so was behind the cameras instead. She apparently cried watching as Hartland sang ‘Blackbird’ while playing an acoustic guitar.
And to be honest, I don’t know if I’ll be able to listen to that song the same way again. Love you Nessa and Smithy.Featured Image Credit: BBC
Topics: Gavin And Stacey, TV, Christmas, TV and Film
Jess Battison
Advert
Advert
Advert
Published 15:03 26 Dec 2024 GMT
Gavin and Stacey star reveals extreme measures she went through to keep her character’s return to finale secret
Even her family didn’t know until the big day
Warning: Honking massive spoilers for Gavin and Stacey: The Finale to follow.
That was pretty f**king brilliant, wasn’t it?
Five years ago Nessa (Ruth Jones) got down on one knee and proposed to Smithy (James Corden) right at the end of the previous Gavin and Stacey episode, which cut out before we got to know what his answer was.
Gavin and Stacey The Finale
Credit: BBC
0 seconds of 54 secondsVolume 90%
Returning half a decade later for one last episode, viewers were more excited to see what Smithy’s answer had been than they were for their Christmas presents and it was all wrapped up in a stonkingly good final episode.
It turns out that Gavin and Stacey stuck the landing brilliantly, with fans adoring that last-ever episode and reckoning it wrapped everything up in style.
Except of course for whatever the hell happened on the fishing trip, but in this case, whatever each fan can imagine it being is better than getting a definitive answer that takes all the imagination out of it.
It’s finally over, what a ride (BBC)
With the burning issue of what answer Smithy gave to Nessa hanging over the final episode, one Gavin and Stacey star had to go through some rather extreme measures to keep her presence on the set a secret to avoid giving the game away.
We are of course talking about Laura Aikman, who plays Smithy’s fiancée Sonia, since her being in the final episode would make it clear to viewers that Smithy hadn’t married Nessa after all, otherwise she wouldn’t be around.
There’s a big reveal early on in the episode where Smithy goes to meet his bride-to-be and it’s Sonia, leaving millions of Brits watching at Christmas realising that he didn’t accept Nessa’s proposal, though she managed to avoid anyone else knowing she’d proposed with some impromptu Cossack dancing.
Taking to Instagram, Laura Aikman posted a video of her own family reacting to the big Christmas reveal, and either acting ability runs in the family or they genuinely didn’t know she was going to be in Gavin and Stacey again.
“I take an NDA very seriously,” she captioned the video, and on her Stories she shared a post from episode director Christine Gernon, who explained how they kept things so secretive.
Knowing Laura Aikman was in the episode ahead of time would have spoiled one of the main questions, so they kept it a secret (BBC)
“Laura Aikman spent the whole G&S shoot being hidden away,” the director posted.
“Staying in a different hotel, not allowed to come to wrap or screening parties so no one knew Sonia was back.
“Such a great reveal. And she’s amazing as both actor and person.”
That final episode all led up to Smithy and Sonia’s wedding, featuring a brilliant performance by Neil the Baby, though he didn’t tie the knot after everyone he knew (and a couple of people on Sonia’s side) and loved told him it was a massive mistake.
Everyone had been telling Gavin (Mathew Horne) he had to say something and right at the last moment he did, though in the end, it was Mick (Larry Lamb) that Smithy needed to tell him he was making a mistake.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DECIntwIW2D/embed/?cr=1&v=14&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ladbible.com&rp=%2Fentertainment%2Ftv%2Fgavin-and-stacey-christmas-finale-hidden-jokes-easter-egg-list-145678-20241227#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A163579.80000001192%2C%22ls%22%3A162961.90000003576%2C%22le%22%3A163458.40000003576%7D
Rushing off to stop Nessa from heading out to sea, Smithy managed to get there in time to propose, with the show closing on their wedding and a montage of some of the great moments from Gavin and Stacey.
James Corden revealed that the episode’s final moments were the last thing they shot as he told a Q&A at the premiere: “The first schedule of the show had us finishing, I think it was going to be me on my own in a car on a low loader and Ruth and I were like ‘that can’t be the last day!’
“And I think that’s the only time we’ve gone ‘we’d like to have a say in the schedule here’, and it was all to do with people’s dates.
“This is a massive cast who are all very busy and have different things to do and have juggled a lot of things around to do it, but we really, really felt that the last day should be the last scene and that the last line should be the last thing that we ever shoot.”
Ruth Jones opened up on the emotional final moments of the episode where Smithy and Nessa finally got together.
She said: “It was lovely because it did feel like a real wedding, didn’t it?
“Like a real wedding to sort of pub reception and we were very grateful to being indulged, for being able to do that because it made such a world of difference that we did that last shot.
“And then Chris, when she called cut on the very last take, arranged for the sound department to play ‘Run’ and that got us all going.”