Sheridan Smith has revealed she won’t star in the upcoming Gavin and Stacey Christmas special.
The actress played Smithy’s sister Rudi in the much-loved series which followed Gavin (Matthew Horne) and Stacey (Joanna Page) who fell in love after a long distance romance over the phone.
Corden, who played Smithy, last month confirmed the show will return for a festive special nine years after its final episode aired in 2010.
Asked by Zoe Ball on her Radio 2 Breakfast Show if she will star, Smith replied: “I wish. No, I’m not going to be in it. I don’t think, anyway.”
She continued: “Like everyone, I can’t wait to watch the Christmas Special. I’m so proud to be have been a part of something so special.”
Corden, who created the show with Ruth Jones, described the upcoming one-off as a “nostalgic joy-bomb”.
Speaking to The Sunday Times Culture magazine he said: “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.”
Corden announced the news on Twitter alongside a picture of the new script, telling fans: “See you on Christmas Day @BBCOne #GavinandStacey.”
Rob Brydon, Larry Lamb, Melanie Walters and Alison Steadman will all reprise their roles as well as Jones who played Nessa.
Lamb revealed he was reduced to tears on reading the new script. Speaking on This Morning he said: “It’s amazing what him and Ruth have managed to do. I’ve finally read the script, it really got me. I read the first little sequence and just found myself crying.
“I was immediately into the feel of the whole thing, it just brought me along.”
Gavin & Stacey aired over three series, plus a Christmas special, from 2007 to 2010 on the BBC.
