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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Katy Clifton

Gavin and Stacey Christmas special will be 'nostalgic joy-bomb', says James Corden

Gavin & Stacey's return to the BBC will be a "nostalgic joy-bomb," James Corden has said.

The hit sitcom is returning for a one-off Christmas special nine years after its final episode aired in 2010.

And Corden, who created the show with Ruth Jones, told The Sunday Times Culture magazine: "We owed it to the characters...

"We wanted to see if there was something there, and for a while we weren't sure. Then, once there was, my feeling was, life's too short. Fear is the absolute reason to do it."

James Cordon has said Gavin & Stacey will be a nostalgic joy-bomb (BBC)

Asked if Brexit will be the subject of debate at a family dinner in the sitcom, he said: "We did talk about it. But we just want the new show to be a nostalgic joy-bomb."

The show starred Mathew Horne and Joanna Page, as well as Corden and Jones.

Corden, who is hosting this year's Tony Awards, and Jones will return to their roles as Smithy and Nessa, alongside the other supporting cast - Rob Brydon, Larry Lamb, Melanie Walters and Alison Steadman.

Larry Lamb got emotional when reading the new Gavin & Stacey script

Gavin & Stacey aired over three series, plus a Christmas special, from 2007 to 2010 on the BBC.

It told the story of Gavin (Horne), from Essex, and Stacey (Page), from Barry in Wales, who fell in love and married after speaking on the phone to each other every day at work.

The 2010 New Year's Day finale was watched by more than 10.2 million viewers.

Additional reporting by Press Association.

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