Off The Telly - “What’s Occurring?” Gavin and Stacey Special!

Episode Date: December 18, 2024

Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page chat about all things on and off the telly.  In this special episode Nat and Jo are celebrating all things Gavin and Stacey ahead of the series finale on Christmas Day. Jo's brought in some of her mates from the cast and crew; including Adrian Scarborough (Pete), Robert Wilfort (Jason), Christine Gernon (director) and a surprise appearance from James Corden; to help re-live some classic scenes and give behind the scenes goss on the story so far. What was James Corden’s favourite scene to film? Will we ever find out what happened on that fishing trip? And what role did Nat actually audition to play? You can also watch this special episode on the BBC Sounds YouTube channel.Make sure to watch Gavin and Stacey: The Finale on BBC One & BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day at 9pm and check out Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell on BBC One & BBC iPlayer on New Year's Day at 7pm.What they can’t stop watching, what they definitely aren’t going to bother with, new releases and comforting classics – TV is timeless and no telly is out of bounds.   As well as having a natter about what’s on TV, they share backstage goss from the world of telly, whilst also cracking up about the more humbling moments in their lives.   Self-confessed TV addicts and stars of two of the biggest shows on our screens, EastEnders and Gavin and Stacey, Natalie and Joanna are the perfect companions to see what’s occurring on and off the telly.Get in touch by sending us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to 03306 784704.Hosts: Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page Producer: Georgia Keating Executive Producer: Richard Morris Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Production Co-ordinator: Becky Carewe-Jeffries Sounds Editor: Arlie Adlington Music by MCassoOff The Telly is a BBC Studios Audio Production for BBC Sounds.

BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. Listeners, if you want to know when a new episode of Off The Telly has dropped, make sure you've subscribed to Off The Telly on BBC Sounds and have push notifications turned on in your phone settings. What are push notifications? Well, it's dead easy, Jo, right? I'll show you how to do it later. It basically means that as soon as a new episode drops, it'll appear on your phone.

Oh, that's clever. I like that. Well, if I can manage to do it, then you guys at home can too. And then you won't miss any episodes of Off the Telly. New episodes drop every Wednesday on BBC Sounds. And now I think it's time for this week's episode. You lucky, lucky things. Enjoy.

Oh, so we might swear a little bit today, mightn't we? Well, I probably will get overexcited, so I might do a bit of swearing. I'm so excited, Jo, what we're doing today. And listen, we're usually always audio, aren't we? We are, but for this episode, our listeners can actually watch us as well on youtube it's quite exciting isn't it it is and i love our little studio it's lovely it's ever so cozy doesn't it it does and look we're very we didn't know what each other was wearing but we're very color coordinated yeah i know it's just we're in sync now yeah we are we are, aren't we? Aren't we? Yeah. So today we have a Gavin and Stacey bonanza.

Gavin and Stacey special. This is all about what's happened in the past, the magical moments, because we're on the countdown. We are leading up to the finale. We are, aren't we? It's not long now, is it? It's not long at all, Jo. So ever since we started doing our Off the Telepod, Gavin and Stacey has been a constant throughout.

And sometimes we mention stuff and we might not be able to remember a certain scene, but I know that you've been watching it back. Well, yeah, I had to, because there's so much that I can't remember. So I've been watching it all back from the very first episode and the very first series with Eva, my daughter. We've been watching it all the way through.

And so we are up to speed now. Up to speed. But we are going to get in a couple of guests to fill in any missing blanks, aren't we? Yeah. I can't remember all of it. There's a lot to remember, Jo. There is.

There is. So who have we got coming in? Tell us. We have got a gorgeous Adrienne Scarborough, who plays Pete. And we have got the wonderful Robert Wilford, who plays Jason, my brother, in Gavin and Stacey. Are we going to find out what happened in the fishing trip? Are we?

And then later on, we're going to be chatting to Christine Gurnan, who has directed every single episode and special that there's ever, ever been of Gavin and Stacey. I am very excited to talk to her as well. It's going to be quite difficult, though, because I'm going to be talking and asking them questions about something which I know that I'm not allowed to talk about. It's like a big double-double thing.

Oh, I know, but, you know, we want to go back. We want to delve into the old days and all your favourites, and that's what everybody wants to hear about. Favourite moments about their favorite bits watching and acting and favorite fun times yeah it's going to be brilliant yeah should we introduce them can we get them in let's get the boys in I am mine! Oh, thank you so much! Oh my gosh. Can I open this now? You can. Oh, wow.

It does need a little explanation. Oh, go on, explain. I bought the cracker because I thought that would be good for audio. Oh, and you left a jumper! That's this year's slow gin. Oh my gosh. Oh, Adrian's amazing. But allotment.

The other thing that's at the bottom that's wrapped in foil will really need an explanation. Yes. I'm going to have a taste of this. Can I just drink a small bit straight? I didn't bring anything, but I didn't bring anything. I bring my love. I didn't bring anything for you. That's nice.

Yeah, that's nice. That's nice. It is very nice. That's delicious. But this, okay, so this, this is a bit weird, but I promise you it'll be amazing. Oh, God, wow. Okay, so that is an elephant garlic bulb. Oh, my God, it's garlic.

Yeah. That's incredible. Isn't it brilliant? Stop it. This is not one bulb of garlic. That is one bulb of elephant garlic, yeah. And here's the thing, shove it up your turkey's gecker. Get it.

Oh, yeah. Pop it in or, you know, grate it into a nut roast or something. But elephant garlic is really mild and really, really lovely. Well, I'd never even heard of elephant garlic before. Well, it came from my allotment, that did. Oh, my gosh. That's incredible. Thank you so much.

Thank you. That is so kind of you. This is lovely. Usually I get bemused looks. So you've done very well. That's amazing. Thank you so much. Thank you. That is so kind of you. This is lovely. Usually I get bemused looks. So you've done very well. That's amazing. Thank you very much. Oh my God.

Pull my cracker with me. Whoa. Hey, I got the hat. I'm not going to pull mine because I'm going to keep it for Christmas Day. You can keep it and say this is Adrian Scarborough's cracker. Adrian and Rob and Jo. I'm saying and Jo. You know why I'm saying and Jo?

Why? Because I can't believe I'm in the same room as three Gavin and Stacey superstars. It's like a dream. Oh, my God. Thank you so much, boys, for coming on this. Thank you. Thank you for asking.

Stop laughing because it's like I've got my two brothers there and it's like you're sitting opposite me. It's just so funny. And I'm Thank you. Thank you for asking. I can't actually stop laughing because it's like I've got my two brothers there and you're sitting opposite me. It's just so funny and I'm interviewing you. What happens on the fishing trip? I can ask you. Oh, come on, Jo. Let's just lower your means. That's the one that everybody's waiting for. Desperately waiting.

I know the answer's going to be. I know we can't really delve into the Christmas special. We're under strict instructions not to say anything, aren't we? I know. But also, we don't know what the answer's going to be. I know we can't really delve into the Christmas special. We're under strict instructions not to say anything, aren't we? I know. But also, we don't want to give spoilers, do we? Well, we don't. We'd be in incredible trouble.

But also, they have revealed a sort of a brief kind of synopsis, haven't they? Have they? Yeah. Yeah. It's quite bare bones, though, isn't it? It is the bare bones of it. It's very bare bones. What was the bare bones bones everybody gets back together all the characters are in it

yeah well and the 2019 proposal the end of that yes just to tantalise and get everybody back where they needed to be very important have you seen any

you've done some ADR you've done some ADR. I've gone and done some ADR. I have done some ADR, yes, so I've seen a little bit, yes. How much have you, have you seen?

Not very much at all. I was there with, have you seen any effects? Well, I was told I was going to do ADR and then it didn't happen, so I mean, some of us just get it right

first time. Well, absolutely, you're obviously a true pro, you know, Rob. Yeah. There we go.

But you must have done quite a bit. I got to see quite a lot. Sorry, that's really you. Yeah. There we go. But you must have done quite a bit. I got to see quite a lot. Was I that bad on it? That's really you. Yes. You must have done loads. You must have done loads. It's so terrible.

To salvage the production. Yeah. No, just simply because you're, you know, a title character. Well, I got to see quite a bit of it. Did you? But it was funny, right, because I'm in it and I know what happens in it and stuff, but still, the bits that I got to see, I was really engrossed in it. I was really, really in it.

Yeah, so I can't wait to see the rest of it now. I don't think you realise what this is like for me. Really? I'm so, I can't wait to watch it. And you know, the whole country. But we're all in the same boat. Yeah. Because we, I mean, even though we kind of know what happens

and we read the script and everything, well, some of us. I read my bits. Yeah, exactly. No, but I think we're all wanting to see, because there were lots of bits that we weren't involved in when we shot them. And you have in your head this whole idea of how they're going to be shot and how funny and wonderful they're going to be.

So, yeah, I'm desperate to see it. Adrian, when you first started because you've done so much you've won olivier awards you've been at the national for millions of plays you've done period dramas and you've done so much and you're so amazing when you got the part of pete did you when you first read it knew it was going to be such a hit did you know where it was going to go i was doing uh we were doing the history boys film and james and i there was a bfi um premiere uh one night and james and i were just talking i said to him what are you going to be doing next he said well me and ruth jones have written this thing and he said, how's your Welsh accent? And I just went, it's terrible. And he went, oh, well, you're out of it then.

So I kind of went, you know, and I just sort of took that. And then six scripts came through my letterbox. And he just sort of said, Chris Gernon's directing it, and I believe you know her, because I did a thing with French and Saunders that Chris Gernon directed. So these scripts arrived, and I remember reading the first one because I got a bit of time in the afternoon,

and I just sort of leafed through it and kind of got to the end of it and kind of went, not bad. That is really, really good. And I thought, I'll just have a look at the second. It'll all fall apart in the second because it always does. You read the first one, and it's really brilliant, and they've all spent lots of time on that. And then you get to the second episode, and it's dreary rubbish. And it always does. You read the first one and it's really brilliant and they've all spent lots of time on that and then you get to the second episode

and it's dreary rubbish. And it was brilliant. And I literally just worked my way through all six scripts and just kind of went, this is a phenomenal piece of work and a really, really beautiful, funny, sensitive, fabulous cornucopia of characters that you just want to spend time with.

And so it was proved. Oh, that is so beautifully put. The thing about all of the moments with Pete and Dawn and just in the first series, were you Captain, is it Mark? Over Mars. Over Mars. Yeah. Oh, my God.

Just amazing. So, so good. I just want to have it off. So Mars. Yeah. Oh, my God. Just amazing. So, so good. I just want to have it off. Yeah. It's so silly. But what I love about Pete and Dawn are the layers. Well, it's the same for all characters, and that's what you were saying. There's so many layers to every character.

They're not just a bickering couple. No, they're not. You never know quite where they're going to be in their relationship. Are they happy? Because they do. They do love each other. They adore each they do they can't be without it's like it's like a kind of yeah they can't do without each other yeah it's well and even the you know even the abuse is part of you know is yeah they get off on it a bit because we i've been you we were talking about

this you've been re-watching it haven't you yeah because i've been re-watching it with our daughter we think is now old enough to watch it. And yeah, it's just... Because I haven't seen some of it for a long time and it's just... I mean, what about... We were talking earlier about The Ring when you read your vows.

Do you remember us filming that and we could barely get through it because we're laughing so much. But I remember reading it and going, oh, this is going to be a nightmare. We're never going to get to the end of this. God. Yeah. We just laughed all the way through the end of this. God. Yeah.

We just laughed all the way through. And so that proved as well because it was a terrible day. But also it's that terrible thing, isn't it, where everywhere you look you've got people desperately trying not to laugh while Julia's going through her... Reading the lyrics of Ben. Reading the lyrics of Ben. And then knowing at the end of it that the ring's going to come out

and she's going to explode. Oh, my God. It's brilliant. And the moment, I have to say I was watching it in the car on the way here again, but the moment in the kitchen when the row starts where the Welsh guys have come up, they're on Dave's coach, they've come off, you know, and Gavin announces

that he's got his job in Cardiff and Pam starts on the Stacey and you just smash Dave's coach it's in the background isn't it

yeah it's kind of yeah you kind of just happen and Dave calls you Scrappy Doo that's right how did you do that

was a stuntman in or did you just go right we're working out ourselves CGI it was CGI isn't it? It was CGI, didn't it? He's a tough Welshman, that boy. He can take it.

He knows it, yeah. He's been there. Yeah. Yeah, wonderful fun. Was there a lot of improvisation within it? Or was it all scripted? No, we don't, because the scripts are so good, you don't need to. We have, what's unusual is we have rehearsals,

which a lot of shows don't have time for rehearsal, but always have like a week's rehearsal don't we and sometimes you throw a little bit in and james and ruth go oh i like that or or there may be the but they're so good you can tell we were saying this downstairs you can tell they act it out themselves yes and they know the characters so well and you can you go because sometimes you get scripts i'm just paraphrasing you know and you go i don't think anyone said this out loud nobody talks like that or you have the thing is or my character wouldn't say that well you never have that on governor stacy because they've done it they you know they've sat around the kitchen table and acted it out they play though haven't they because james mostly does the women doesn't

he and um in rehearsals for this one, there was one, no, he was, yeah, there was one particular woman that, yeah,

that he was doing. And he was, he was just brilliant. He's just great at doing all of the women. And I think he always does me because it's very funny when you hear him doing me. And then I think Ruth does the men,

but they've got their own people that they do. That's very good. Yeah. Can I tell you a secret? It's not about me, but I've got one tiny link to Gavin and Stacey. I auditioned for the part of Smithy's sister. You could have been Rudy.

Rudy. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. Yeah. That's it. I'd like to see that version. That's a really juicy bit of course. I'd like to see that version.

You've kept that under wraps very well. I told you, didn't I, Jo? Yes, you told me. But I've not said it out loud, but I did. I went up Oxford Street into Baby Cow, did all my read with James, and didn't go to plan, unfortunately. But yeah.

Well, that's the actress life, isn't it? So many kind of things we could have been in. I always have a little bit of a chip on my shoulder and tend to not watch the programme afterwards. If they didn't want me in it, I'm not going to watch it. How did you get the part of Jason then? What happened there? I knew James.

I worked with James on a film. We did a little bit on a Mike Lee film together. And we got on really well. And we did a little bit on a Mike Lee film together and we had we got on really well and we had we just laughing and messing about and we we kind of James said I've got I've got an idea for something and we used to write a little bit together but nothing ever really came of it but while we were doing that he would tell me about the show he was writing with Ruth and I just said that sounds like a great idea and then he well, there's a part in it we'd like you to come in for. It's Stacey's brother.

But the only problem is, is Joe Page is playing Stacey. Well, I said, well, I know Joe. Me and Joe go back a long way. We've known each other since we were about 17. Well, I was going to say, why did he say the only problem is? Well, not the only problem. The problem is, is I'm about a foot taller than Joe Page. Right. I don't look anything like her.

I've got dark hair. So a brother and sister physically siblings can be different that was the only problem but we've known each other it wasn't a problem it was like

it's Jo Cates she's a nightmare I went oh god no absolutely not that's a red line the National Youth Theatre of Wales together and then we were in

drama school together in the same class we got a little bit emotional weren't we that we'd been acting together what about 30 over 30 years my god yes

yeah but then so he said so we'd like to read for the brother but also just as a kind of safety could you read the smaller part of like a ticket inspector I think it was the one who tells them off at the station so I said yeah because I'll do anything you know so I went in and I read both and then about a week later James rang and he said I I'm really sorry, mate. I know you really, really wanted to play the ticket inspector, but we're going to have to offer you Jason's. In true James way, he wound me up a bit.

And yeah, I think they decided that I didn't have to be blonde and a foot shorter. DNA works in a very interesting way sometimes. Yeah, I'm the tallest one in my family by quite a long way. Oh, absolutely. You can get all shapes and sizes. Did you know at that time how much the whole fishing trip and all of that plot line and how much Jason would feature in the series?

No, I mean, I kind of thought, I knew I loved it and I thought that's really funny and really, really funny to play in all those scenes with Rob. I almost thought, is that it? When they said there was going to be a second series, will I be back? You know? And the idea, the fact that I've just kept coming back is just lovely.

And the fact that the whole thing has snowballed and ballooned and everyone just is desperate to know. Desperate to know what happened. Have you ever been told what happens on the fishing trip? Have they ever said to you? No. Have you got your own thoughts in your mind about what it could be? You must have your own thoughts. I do have my own thoughts, yeah, but I can't say what they are. Have you got your own thoughts in your mind about what it could be? You must have your own thoughts.

I do have my own thoughts, yeah, but I can't say what they are. Have you ever talked about them with Rob? Not really, no. Because when people ask, I do have to say the whole joke is you don't find out what happens on the fishing trip. And people are getting excited about this.

Except on the Christmas special, of course, that's coming up. You can't say anything about it. You might find out. Who knows? Yeah. I've already got a little bit into trouble. Well, not into trouble.

No, I did an interview with the Radio Times. I was trying to skirt around it and not say anything. And then they wrote the headline, Gavin and Stacey's star teases fishing trip reveal. And I said, I absolutely did not. Did not do that, of course. So right now, where's the camera I'm not teasing a reveal of anything watch it and see what happens didn't you film um something about

the fishing trip once because I remember that a couple of series ago and you filmed a bit or so then they never showed it yeah yeah we did um film like a flashback there is footage there's footage of the fishing trip I wonder if it'll ever come out. Yeah. Great. But they couldn't use it. It was Chris, Chris. No, no, not because Chris rang me and just said, it was meant to be in the last episode of the last original series. And she just rang me and said, it's running 40 minutes too long. I'm sorry, we've just got to cut it.

And I was like, that's fine. You know, it's just sort of go. But yeah, we did do like. Oh, what magic. Yeah. So there's stuff out there. That's great. They might show it

in your documentary as a bonus special or something oh my god I can't wait to see that yeah because we've got the behind the scenes documentary

I can't wait slightly worried about that are you well no just because well I'm just going to be crying all the way through why is he

he's got a twinkle in his eye why do you do I'm just interested to know well because you never know I mean with a scripted thing

obviously you kind of know what's coming and what the chances are of the things you might see in it. But this, I mean, it could be. They were there a lot, weren't they? They were there the whole time. They were there the whole time. I mean, it was sort of. No escaping.

It was like keyhole surgery most days, wasn't it? Yeah. Suddenly you'd reach out and you'd look over and you'd be like, oh, God, they're there. Oh, it's like Big Brother. Yeah. Yeah. I know. I'm probably going to be crying all the way through. So it's very difficult to know what they caught and you'd be like, oh, God, they're there. Oh, it's like Big Brother. Yeah, yeah. I know.

So it's very difficult to know what they caught and what, you know, what silly giddiness we were getting up to. I think I'm probably completely hysterical because on the first day, I got out of the car and then saw Sophie straight away and sort of started jumping, going, ah, I'm just screaming like an idiot. And I know they filmed that. And then me just crying then. You were crying a lot, weren't you? I cried a lot.

Did you too cry? Yeah. When did you cry? Well, I cried a lot in my hotel room at the end of the night. But that's no different from a usual job. That's most days me. No, I did. I found some of it incredibly moving.

Yeah. Terribly moving. It was the ticking off of, it'll be the last time we're there. Yeah. Or the last time we're at a location. The last time we're in that shit. Oh my God, yeah. The last time on Trinity Street

when we left our house. Well, somebody sent me some, I think it was Gernon sent me some footage of that moment with you walking up. With the bloody sun setting in the background as well. Yeah, it was perfect. And it just went viral. Oh my God.

The last day we all cried, didn't we? We did. I think everyone cried on the last day. Yeah, it was perfect. And it just went viral. Oh, my God. The last day we all cried, didn't we? We did. I think everyone cried on the last day. Yeah, we did, didn't we? Do you really think it is the last last? In 10 years' time, do you think there could be? I like what they put at the end of the script. They put the end, forever and ever, amen.

They did, didn't they? Yeah, they really did. Amen. They did, didn't they? Yeah, they really did. Right. Also, I think it's really, really brave to finish things because often I just think things go on a little bit too long. I agree. And I think with this, the best thing that they could have done is just kind of gone, we've got an ending.

Let's have it. It's really good. Endings are good. Moving on. I'm moving on to new projects, which projects which of course hopefully will all be in yeah yeah sentimental i'd be like i'd flog that horse until it was well dead because i just want to have a laugh with everyone yeah which has got like wouldn't it be great though if they wrote another show which we'd all in but all playing different characters well ricky gervais does that with a lot of his stuff he's all the same people we could be husband and wife instead of brother

and sister i know that would be funny last time we played like lovers we were in drama school and you were chasing me and jumping over a bed after me with no i was doing it to you with a pair of scissors yeah you were trying to kill me with a pair of scissors yeah were you surprised when you got the call saying that we were doing a special? Yeah. The original was, yeah, but both. Yeah, for this latest one now, were you expecting it when the call came in, you know, saying that we're going to do... I always thought one day we would, but it was still... Maybe we wouldn't.

Maybe we wouldn't. Maybe they are going to leave it like that, and why not? Every time I see their names come up on my phone, I immediately kind of go, aye, aye. Yeah. Is this the moment? Yes. Come on, please.

Where were you when you got the message and everything? I was at home. It was great. I had to really stop myself from whooping. Yeah. Because I thought it was best to be professional and serious. And then after Ruth, because it was Ruth who phoned me, and after she'd gone, I just went, Rose, we're on!

Oh, that's so brilliant. I'd shown her who was calling on my phone. Oh, my God. Just bellowed up the stairs. I was so excited. Yeah. So excited. Yeah.

What about you? When did you get up? I was having dinner with the family, and my eldest daughter was with us as well. And I just went, bloody hell, it's Jane. I think it is.

I went in the room, come back in and I said, you rat. And they were all just like looking at me like that. You can't tell anyone. You can't tell anyone.

And then we had that whole thing with it leaking and we had to lie. Yes. Because it was still very early days. Early days.

Where were you? Oh, yeah, where were you? I had tonsillitis and I was running a bath. And I just ran the bath and I walked out of the bathroom, walked back in again, picked my phone up and it said, James Corden missed call. And I thought, oh, my God, this is it. Oh, my God, we're going to do a special.

We're going to do it. And then I phoned him back and said, I've got tonsillitis. And then he said, oh, have you heard of the actress Ruth Jones? Are you aware of her work? Would you like to be in more of it? And I was like, oh, my God, yes, and screamed. And then we had to just, like, keep it quiet then. We were going on about a flipping year or something.

It was a long time, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah. God. Because it leaked and I was just, all my family would go, oh, is it going to happen? And I just basically lied to them because I didn't trust them to keep it. Yes. Can we please hear about your favourite scenes,

be it the ones that you were in and your favourite ones to film and when you're watching the telly as a viewer, your favourite as well? Jo, we'll start with you. Oh, my gosh. Well, I think one of my favourite scenes was when you and Dawn renewed your vows because I just hysterically laughed all the way through. I think all of my favourite scenes are when I am just laughing all the time. I think, out and out, my most favourite bit ever was the stripper.

And I feel like I don't even want to talk about it anymore because it seems like it's all I've ever talked about. But it was such an experience. I turned up on set and I remember all of the crew were there. And I just remember James Corden was just off camera. And then Chris, the director said, oh, let's just do a run through of what you normally would do. And he did. He did. He took everything off. And I was sitting on the chair and he was there. And I just remember the camera crew, they were just full on shaking. And it was just, I've never seen anything like it before in my life i went hysterical i hope you told him i've never seen anything like it in my life so to me my most favorite ever ever bit was the stripper and i think the whole of the first series to me was

my favorite because it's when we all first started and there was all this chemistry and we all first met so that i think that's my favourite bit. What about yours? Isn't that interesting? Because one of my big favourite moments is the scene between you and Gav in the 2019 special when you go back to the island. Yes. And I think that scene is so beautifully crafted and written.

And it's about two people who are look i'm welling up now but they're both in a they're both in a marriage and they're worried about it getting stale and they're so communicative one another they talk it through it's the best kind of talking advert for talking therapy it's so beautiful and the kiss never fails to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end yeah and then it pulls away do you remember that lovely big shot at the end with all the fabulous street lighting and the christmas lights and it's it gets me absolutely every single time i think it's the most beautiful scene i remember me and matt were quite worried about it because we did

it it was the first day it was the first day of like the whole shoot and we were quite worried about it because we did it it was the first day it was the first day of like the whole shoot and we were like flipping it we're going in on a big one here yeah and so we were both quite nervous about you know getting it right and it was so late you know when we started filming and um but it just worked it just it just happened and it just worked and I remember being a bit concerned thinking I've had three children in real life now and i've got to jump up and leap into his arms yeah not quite the same as the first series but we got we were all right i just said were you all right and he was but yeah but oh my gosh it was it was a lovely it was a lovely yeah what about yours it's really hard to pick a favorite bit but i

always love the in inverted commas like the mundane chats where they talk about like the favourite motorway services and Pete with his oven gloves. I love the oven gloves. Just the little details like that. I just love. I'm so sorry. I've got to ask while we're on oven gloves.

Was it Chris who directed you to do that three times or did you go back and forth yourself? It said in the script. Did it really? It said in the script. Sorry, I have to ask. script he always knows he puts it in the oven he takes it out again he puts it back in the oven and tries them out that kind of thing sorry it was all there absolutely beautiful it's the magic i need to know about one of my favorites a film may have been entering into the barn dance oh yeah it's just a little moment but it's just you don't get many entrances like that, really, in your life, just to kind of come in and everyone stops and looks at you.

Yeah. And I just, again, we've been re-watching, I just watched that one, and there's so much going on in that one with Doris and Bryn getting, you know, you're having a barn dance. Yeah. Rob is just sublime in that episode.

Oh, God, it's so much fun isn't it i remember being a pair of denim jeans mick just lines like that the little details i love it did you enjoy wearing the um red wife front yeah i did yeah yeah i was doing another interview the other day and that and they said that was my they we described it as like my pants era because i did that i did an advert where i was in my pants and i did another show called i was in a couple episodes of the first series of skins do you remember that and i had to do quite a lot of an episode of that in my pants as well and it was all within about the same you did a swimming trunks advert no it wasn't down a slide yeah it wasn't for swimming trunks you may remember the trunk

it was for i became fixated i won't the product, but it was the instruction of contactless cards. Oh, right. And it was for a particular brand of contactless card. And I was going down a big water slide and it was a big hit at the time. Yeah. God. Your pant era.

My pant era, yeah. Yeah, that was fun filming that with Rob in my pants. Every entrance you've had, though, every time Jason comes into it, it's always like, boom. You know, kills its down to the atmosphere. Yeah. And how about, Adrian, your favourite to film with you in it?

Well, I think, yeah, the renewal of the vows was pretty good. Interestingly, oven gloves is one of those moments that always sticks with me. I think that's great. But the curry as well uh the the whole kind of you know you're eyeing up my booners yeah i just think it's just so sublimely brilliant but it's so true as well yeah i you know i think everybody who saw it kind of saw something in it that they knew well everybody wanted their own meal yeah yeah maybe really hungry watching it again recently.

And all that phoning back and forth in the car. Sagaloo, Sagaloo, all that. Yeah. It is so true. And I love filming, again, just another one where we're talking about how much Bryn loves Deal or No Deal, and it's just... Yes. Why are we talking about that?

But it's so funny. It is so true. And the card, the card, John. Oh, yeah, John. John with the glasses. Stepbrother John. Stepbrother John. Yeah, yeah, yeah.'s so funny. It is so true. And the card. The card. John. Oh, yeah, John. Stepbrother John. Stepbrother John. Rotary John. It's from John.

And when Pete comes in at the end and says, you know he's been to Nepal three times? Everyone says the same thing. But it is real life. Big up for Mel as well, doing this, listening to Bryn singing. Oh, my God, yes. In the Picasso as they're driving down. Yeah, and you can, you can see,

that just reminds me of my mum and dad. Like when they used to like leave me, you know, at drama school and stuff up in London and then drive back home. And I think my mum would sit there in silence, sort of, you know, crying. And then my dad would be like talking, we're going, oh, she's going to be absolutely fine now

and she's going to be whatever. And mum would just be sitting there just, and you can just see her on Mel's face, can't you? Holding on. Yeah. And Doris. I mean, that's a classic scene. fine now and she's going to be whatever and mum would just be sitting there and you can just see her on Mel's face can't you holding on yeah and Doris I mean that's a classic scene one of my favourites

when Maggie was on the drums do you remember filming that I wasn't there for that day were you not there for that one I never had any scenes with Maggie

did you not I'd worked with Maggie on one of my first ever jobs out of telly and she was so lovely and it was so great to see her in this I think maybe at the wedding we had a little chat but I never had like a Doris scene which is always

one of my biggest regrets because she was just sublime oh my god when she did the drums and we had Ted remember Ted Dowd and Maggie couldn't sort of get the time in and she was ever so nervous as well I remember and then Rob was standing there really going for it, singing and wanting himself as well to be good, didn't he? And then Ted, the producer, was just lying on the floor behind the pew and having to put this big pen up in the air like that every time

Maggie had to bang on the drum. So the pen would go up, there'd be a slight beat and then she'd like bang it. So she ended up just being out of tune. I still don't think she's quite right with the final copy. But it sort of worked better with her being hopelessly off, didn't it? But completely confident. Oh my God, are you going to miss it? Now it's all over.

Are you going to miss filming it? Oh God, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think we all realised how special it was while we were doing it. But you know, I thought we'd finished. It's not good for one's health, though. Five weeks in a hotel in Cardiff with Alison Stedman

and the size of gins that she bears. Blimey. Oh, it does. She'd be a friend of mine. Yeah. We used to go to that bar. It was called Ali's Parlour, wasn't it? Ali's Parlour it ended up being called.

My blinking bar bill at the end of it. I mean, my God, I was shocked. Always a problem, isn't it? The pretend bill that you forget about. Just put it on the room. Put it on the room. I was in a supermarket the other day and on the shelf I spotted a book and I thought, I need to get it and we need to do it, I'm afraid.

It's the Gavin and Stacey quiz book whoa okay that sent a chill through me well it's no pressure it's not mastermind Andrea

it's not mastermind just a bit of fun just a bit of fun bit of Christmas fun okay is it whoever gets the answer first because I'm very competitive

oh no we're not doing what we're you're very competitive Jo I am there's no prize here is it just the boys you can join in no you can join in just don't shout over people okay you're very competitive she's a nightmare isn't she i don't know you've put up with her for all these years right here we go nice easy one to start what isessa's full name?

Vanessa Shanessa Jenkins, I believe. Yeah, that's it. I don't think there's any more than that, is there? No, Vanessa Shanessa Jenkins. In the 2008 Christmas special, what does Smithy think the co-writer of Do They Know It's Christmas is called? Oh, God. I know this because, again, I've been watching it recently. Oh.

Do you know this one, Adrian? The colour of the chair. Majeure. Oh, Majeure. Like Majeure cheddar. Majeure, he thinks is one word, isn't it? Majeure. When he's on the phone to Gav.

Yeah. Very good. Even that's brilliant. Yeah. The joy of Christmas because I'm a very big Christmas person. And the ringing up of, I have a very big christmas person and that the ringing up of i have a niece who i ring up and shout down the phone i genuinely don't you know or we all sing a song to each other because we're so excited i love that i think that's possibly my favorite

filming it's the whole thing i just love doing that Christmas special. Yeah. Because it was so Christmassy and warm. Yeah. Yes. Funny and just, anyway, so I carry on. No, no, don't. No, carry on. That's why we're here. Yeah.

What's Pam's splendid description of Gwen's flannel? Do you know this one? I think I know that one as well. Well, I've got on A, B and C, but let's see if you know it. Go on, you have a go. Yeah, go on. I may have said, yeah, did she say, I on, you have a go. Yeah, go on. I'm very impressed. Yeah, did she say, I could have cracked it with a toffee hammer?

Yes. Wow. I just remember that as a great line at the time. I think I'd remember that even if we hadn't been rewatching. Amazing. Because it's a great line. Rob gets the prize. Well done.

I do get a prize. Do I get a prize? You can have another chocolate. I can have another chocolate, okay. I was promised Baileys, I think. We're not allowed to say that. I was promised a... Irish cream liqueur. Irish cream liqueur.

Yeah. I'm sorry. Not mint flavoured. Yeah, not mint flavoured. Can I just thank you all? I'm surprised they haven't brought that back for this one. I know. Sorry if I...

No, not at all. Can I just thank you all? And I know every listener listening to this now, we've had so many voice notes since we started about Gavin and Stacey every single week you've brought so much joy to people's lives and people are so excited including me and I really mean that thank you for all of the series for all of the specials it is amazing what you achieved and it's amazing to sit here with you all. Thank you. It's lovely to get the opportunity to talk about it.

It is, isn't it? We never, ever stop loving talking about it. Yeah. Because we're as in love with it as everybody else. I feel particularly now with this special, I feel like an audience member because I think after the last one finished, I remember reading it on my phone

and then getting to the proposal and me going, what? My God, that's not the end. What's, you know? And then waiting so long and then getting the script in for this. And I know that we filmed it and we know what happens

and we've read it, but still I feel sort of, kind of away from it a bit. And like, I am just going to sit down with my family on Christmas day and I just can't wait to watch it. It's a special. Especially having re-watched it all the way through like we've been doing.

As we are a telepod, what sort of things do you two like to watch at Christmas time on the TV? Well, I go away a lot at Christmas. So sometimes I find myself in strange countries watching the oddest and most peculiar things. I once watched the film Vera Drake, which I'm actually in, which I wouldn't normally do,

but I'd been dubbed. Oh, brilliant. And it was just such a treat to watch it in Mexican. Oh my God. And it really, really made me laugh. Yes, generally speaking, I'm a great one just for sitting down in front of a children's movie.

Give me Mary Poppins or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I could sit and watch those films again, I mean, forever. Like, forever. They're just joyous. I love Oliver. Oliver? What about you, Rob? We do...

Did I read that you like this as well, Jo? We watch The Box of Delights. Oh, my God. I never knew you'd go like that. Here we go. Oh, my God. I'm obsessed with it. If you've covered this already Jo we watch the Box of Delights oh my god I never knew you'd go like that here we go oh my god I'm obsessed with it if you've covered this already

we'll be brief you can know you can talk about it I watch it every week I love it right and have you seen that the BBC are showing it again

to get on the iPlayer and watch it yeah it's just amazing oh my god the opening credits every time shivers oh I need to watch this

have you seen it oh my god it's brilliant Robert Stevens absolutely terrifying so you watch it? Oh my God, it's brilliant. Robert Stevens, absolutely terrifying. So you watch it as well, do you? Yeah, we bought it on DVD. And I don't really remember it as a child, but it's become our family tradition.

We watch it every Christmas, once a week. And there's this whole community. I'm on the Facebook group. And they were saying Joe Page is a fan. And I said, I'm going to bring it up then. Box of Delights, we need to get onto it. It's on the iPlayer. Which I don't mind.

And it's 40 years old now, it's from the 80s, adaptation of a book, amazing cast and it's absolutely bonkers as well, the plot is just mad. And you've got Robert Stevens

playing the baddie in it and he's basically acting like he's Macbeth or someone. Yeah, he's like chewing the scenery but in the best way, he's incredible.

Amazing. Yeah. Right. And the best child performance I think by Kay, one of the best kids' performances on TV. Fantastic. Really? Alright, we'll watch it. Yeah. Right. And the best child performance, I think, by Kay, one of the best kids' performances on TV. Fantastic. Really?

All right, well, we'll watch it. Okay. That's my one. That's it. Well, thank you for talking about Gavin and Stacey today. Thank you for joining us. Thanks, boys. Thank you.

We could have gone on for a while. You're very, very welcome. Spinning on that. Well, we could do another hour just on the Box of Delights, to be honest. We need to pick this up, yeah. All right, Box of Delights special for next Christmas. Just me and you. Same time, same place.

Thank you so much. Thank you for having us. Merry, merry Christmas. And have a wonderful time. Merry Christmas. Oh, that was so lovely chatting with the boys, wasn't it? It was so lovely to meet your friends and colleagues, Jo. I love them so much. And it's just, it's really, really lovely just all chatting.

We've got such good memories. And it's not just going to be that. We also have another one of my bestest, bestest friends that we're going to chat to. It is the absolutely glorious Chris Gurnan, who is the director of all of Gavin and Stacey. So we're going to be talking to her next. I can't wait to ask her some questions. I really can't. I feel like I can't even act normal, though, because they're all my friends.

And I'm just so gushing excited. I just want to go, ooh, it's Christmas. It's going to be so lovely to meet Chris over Zoom, because you've mentioned Chris so many times throughout our chats about the things you've done with her and what she used to say and, you know, what you used to get up to. So I can't wait to meet her. And we're going to actually have to Zoom Chris in because she is in the edit right now. It's really funny because like a good few weeks have gone by.

And so I'm back in family life and everything. But since we last finished, you know, we had the wrap party and everything. Chris, every single day has just been in the edit and doing it all and sorting it all out and then doing the ADR. She hasn't left it yet. Chopping it all up and making it brilliant for us to watch. I think she'll be sick to death of seeing my face though. Can I just say, I listened, not the latest one, the one before on my way in today, and I still haven't stopped chuckling at you confusing Thomas Cromwell and Oliver Cromwell whilst watching the show.

I think it is the most Joe Page story. I honestly don't know how you do the podcasting on that, Aline. At one point, right, when we were doing the podcast, she said something, something, Thomas Cromwell. And in my head, I thought, she said the wrong name, but I'm not going to say anything. Thank you so much for chatting to us today. It's an honour to have you.

Thank you so much for being here. You look like you're in a small cupboard. I'm in a small cupboard. I've just jumped out of a mix. And I'm in a small cupboard to come and chat to you because I love your podcast. Oh, that's so lovely. I'm sure if I knew you, Natalie, I would love to. And obviously one day when we're doing a sitcom together, the three of us. Yes, let's hope so.

Yes. So are you still in the mix then for Gavin and Stacey? In the mix for Gavin and Stacey, which I've finished tomorrow. So tomorrow, I don't know what time, seven, eight, it will all be done. Wow. Going up, ready to be broadcast on Christmas Day. How does that feel, Chris, getting to the end of it? You know, it feels really good.

It feels, I think it's so nice and so unusual to have an opportunity to sort of finish something and finish it so well. I think it's a really brilliant end to the show. And I think, particularly if you're a fan of the show, I think you'll be very happy with this, you know, not happy with necessarily with what happens which obviously I'm I am not going to go into but more like everybody has

very Gavin and Stacey things in it I think yeah I think so I loved it because in it Stacey and Gavin are kind of because I mean this has been said you know before in the stuff you know that's um for the Christmas listings but they're sort of you know, trying to pep up their, you know, marriage a little bit. And it was really good fun because I felt very much like Stacey was back to sort of kind of series one Stacey. Really? Yeah, it was good fun. Talking about cracking three out, watching Cash in the Attic. That's all Stacey.

Do you remember that? I do. The i do the building the building yeah it's so interesting oh someone might be coming to say hello hello all right how are you darling nice to see you nice to see you i was only telling adrian scarborough earlier and rob how i nearly nearly got to play rudy do you remember that james you were there well you were the person we were thinking about well i remember chatting to you on the phone about it i know he's been

amazing that's all right next sitcom yeah well let's wait people might hate this one first we don't know they bloody won't We can't wait for it. We're all desperate to see it. Oh, look, that's better. Oh, that's good. Shout that light on. We can see it. I'm going to direct you, but it's sitting there on the top.

I've tapped one button. And look at that. That's the joy. Oh, my gosh. I'm doing really well and I'm really excited about coming to the screening. I can't wait to see it. Chris was saying about me coming in to do some ADR and um what was I like oh well she basically made me play a like half of the show even though we're clearly on a deadline and then cried through

most of it yes sounds about right isn't it that plane crash so crash. I know. I know. It's the shock. The shock of what happened. Why was Bryn flying that bloody plane? Why did Bryn get his pilot's license? I don't know. Not sure. I don't know. Are you fed up of watching all of the show now?

Are you looking forward to just going, right, boom, that's it now, and we can hand it in? I don't think it's that you get fed up with it. It's just, well, what you start to worry is because you have moments

where you've been laughing and then you're in a room and no one's laughing. And the reason I was laughing is because everybody's seen it about 35 times. So then you start going, oh no,

is it just not funny in any way? Because someone might laugh at one bit and you go, well, if they laughed at that why didn't they and it's yeah it's just a lot of but it's okay because chris is here so chris is there everything's all right that's the truth that is the actual truth of all of it it is yeah i love this exposed brick oh yes do you like this is the first time that we've been like filmed isn't it yeah we've gone

posh for this one yeah i love it yes yeah and we've i'm wearing a dress and we've put some makeup on we've made an effort look sensational oh thank you very much now that we've got you can we just ask you what has been your favorite bit to film in all of the three series, all of the previous Gavin and Stacey, what's been your favourite moment? Oh God. That's a hard one, isn't it? I really love well, I just love, as you know, I just love filming

a pammer mix because there's always a comfortable chair always somewhere comfy to sit. So when we're a power mix i love that the very first thing not the very first scene the very first episode in the hotel room you actually fell asleep you are asleep he's asleep when he's in the hotel room asleep and wait in in the bed he's genuinely asleep that was fun he did yeah um and do you know the actual genuinely my favorite moments when we're filming i'm not just saying this because she's

hearing you're answering it my favorite moments when we're filming are the days when i'm not in but i get to sit with chris and you just get to sit and watch and all those things I've learned so much in those days and I think if I had to pick a scene I'm in I really loved the scene when we were all dancing around to madness yeah yes that felt that felt really fun. When we were editing, I remember when we were editing that series and Liana, the editor, and I would sometimes be like, oh, God, we'd be figuring out something. And then we'd just go, we'd look at each other and we'd go, should we just put it on?

And we would literally just play the house of fun scene and watch it. And they'd get back to trying to edit around some of Joanna Page's continuity. I didn't get to do any of that dancing or anything, did I? Because I think Stacey was... You were in a half. Yeah, I was in a half, wasn't I? Because I'd gone upstairs to wait for Gav to have sex and he'd fallen asleep, hadn't he? Yeah.

Yeah, yeah. You know all of that, all of the madness stuff, did you just improvise all of that then? Or had you written in the script the bits and bobs or did you just come up with that? No, we'd written that we were all of that, all of the madness stuff. Did you just improvise all of that then? Or had you written in the script the bits and bobs? Or did you just come up with that? No, we'd written that we're all dancing around, but we hadn't written things like Mick and Nessa have switched tops, which I thought was really funny.

Those are the scenes also as a director that are so brilliant because I don't have to do anything. I read it and then I just go, they're in the room. And you just go, okay, you've ordered the drink, you're all dancing, off you go. And then someone will go, oh, should we switch talk? And then you just kind of tweet a few little things.

There's some of that in this new one. There is a very excellent scene in this one. Right, I'm going to leave you to it. Thank you, James. Thank you for everything. See you soon. See you, darling. Thank you for everything. See you soon. See you, darling. Bye. I thought that might be fun.

That is fun. Chris, while we're talking about those scenes, those big scenes, I wanted to ask you, how do you keep all of them under control? That is a very good question. How do you do it? I mean, they're kind of pretty good. The main thing is they just, and it sounds such a cliche, but they all just love each other so much

that sometimes it's just getting everyone to shut up. So there's generally a shut up. And sometimes I'll just start rolling the cameras and they're all just still chatting. And then you'll just go like, come on, shut up and do it. And because we have lots of it it's it's not like we're in the moment trying to figure stuff out so we get in and then everyone's like oh yeah yeah you're there okay this is what we're doing and go and then off they all go so it's you know it must be really lovely to have the rehearsal time because that's a rarity these days right right? Yeah, I mean, I always rehearse, so maybe it is a rarity.

But when you've got 10, 12 people in the scene and you've got to figure out what they're all doing and where they all are in these tiny little houses we're in, well, Gwen's got Pam and Mick's, it's just invaluable. It's invaluable because then everyone comes in and just you know knows where they all are and where they're going and there's a scene in this Christmas one and it's the you know we just figured out all the choreography so when we get in we just everybody

kind of knows where they are and what they're doing yeah do you remember will you tell us a bit about the scene that you had to try and film with Alison and Julia, with Patch Adams. Because talking about having control over us and trying to stop us laughing, tell us a bit about that. It's the only time probably in the last 20 years that I have had to call a tea break. I literally just called a crew tea break

because they could not, Alison's name I had to say, talking about Philip Seymour Huffman and referring to him as the ginger fan of Pat Jadams, could not get it out. Her, Julia, and Larry getting cross and cross. And me just like going, I mean, throwing all the things that you could possibly think of, like imagine you're on stage and there's an audience, you know, nothing. And I called the T-Rate, told them to go out and have a think about themselves. How long did it go on for?

Oh, my God. She couldn't stop laughing, could she? No. I mean, it went on for a long time. I mean, I don't call T-Rex lightly. I remember I was at unit base and I was waiting, you know,

to be on for the next scene and I was just messing around and having a laugh and because about two hours went by or something and I was like, oh my God, what's going on?

Yeah. Yeah. It's gone down in the annals of, I think, is it on any sort of outtake? I think, I think it is.

Oh, it's got to be, surely. It's got to be. I only ever remember you shouting at me once and you shouted something like, Paige, stop laughing, because it was when Ruth was lying down and I think she was about to be scanned or something.

And I came, I walk into like by her hospital bed thing and I'm standing over her and I couldn't stop laughing. I couldn't look at her and I couldn't stop laughing. And I remember you shouting at me then, but it's the only time you've ever shouted at me. I remember. I mean, it's obviously, but I do remember when you were dressed as schoolgirls,

you got your proper moustache back as well. And I think mainly because you were dressed as schoolgirls. So, Chris, when you first picked up a Gavin and St stacy's script or the you know was it one was it six what was it series well what it was was i was working i was doing a show with bruce a different show and she would tell me about the script that she was writing and i'd be like oh great right and then she was like oh i'd love to send you know send it you would you read it and i was like yeah sure and i'm not lying you know a little bit of me. Would you read it? And I was like, yeah, sure. And I'm not lying. You know, a little bit of me was like, you know, it's not, you know,

what's it going to be like? And then Ruth being Ruth sent me all six emails. So I remember getting up on a Saturday and going, oh, I've just got to read. I'm just going to read a script. I'll be half an hour and then carry on with the day. And I sat down and i literally read all six all six episodes and then marion linton just said this can i direct it it was the best it was

they were the best and they're pretty much the scripts we shot i mean they they because they have such a strong sort of quality control over it and then then we like to come out, where's James when I need him? There we go. There you are. Because they have such a quality control. And I think because they're actors and when they write every scene, they'll act it out.

So they hear it. So when I get it, you know, what to me is a first draft is probably their like fourth or fifth draft. And then, you know, there's a few notes, things, but never a ton of notes. And then we very rarely change stuff, do we, Geri?

Yeah, God, we hardly ever change anything. That is amazing, isn't it? Yeah. And so when you read those first six, did you go, this is going to be special? No, I've thought that before. You know, because you never know. And I thought the scripts were great.

And then the cast, you know, you bring all the cast in and they add some stuff. And I sort of remember, I think the first time was when we were filming the pub quiz. And it was the first time everybody was thought together. I think it was one of the earliest things we filmed with everybody. And I remember sitting in the pub while we were shooting it, thinking I would love to be in this pub with these people doing this quiz. Oh, this might be something that people like, because I genuinely think it's a world that people would love to go enjoy. Yeah.

You know, you'd love nothing more, would you, than a night out with that. Yeah. Yeah. So true. I remember the rehearsals. Yeah. And I remember at night everybody just

proper gelling. The boys went off to go and get their ears pierced. I remember that. They came back the next day and they ran

our ears pierced. Had they said to you that they were going to do it or was it just something that they went off and just did? They went off and went out, came back without thinking,

oh, we think they'll have their East Coast. Everyone just hung out. It wasn't like people didn't want to leave, did they? No. Everyone was on so well. Yeah. Yeah. It was a genuinely joyful thing.

And it's always been. It's always been stayed. this and this last one was no no different it's just a load of people coming together and genuinely love hanging out with each other yeah which is you know when you're in the edit now and obviously like you say if you finish tomorrow hand it in do you understand the weight of it I know you're all in it but I don't think I talked to Jo about this and she's like oh yeah I said no but you don't quite understand I don't think you get it I honestly have never felt pressure like this I've really this one I'm really feeling a pressure but no before never and it's never really been that big. And even when we came back after the 10 years,

it was a kind of, oh, this looks fun, but are people still going to watch it? Are people, you know, interested? Whereas this one, because that one was so big, the expectation on this one. How many million watched that? Because I can't remember. Was it over, was it 11, 12?

I think it was 18 million. On the day, it was 11. 11, yeah. On the day. Then it went up, yeah, on the actual,

like the overnights were 11 point something and then it went up to 18 and I think it might have gone up to 20. I can't remember, but I just remember those overnights were pretty epic. And we don't get those now.

No. Because we used to get, you know, we used to get 20 million for Christmas Day EastEnders. Yeah. And now it's, you know, much, much lower. But 11 when you did that was unbelievable. I think you're going to get that, if not more, again. And it just shows you the magic of special television. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

I mean, I sort of feel like we probably aren't going to get those figures because I don't think people watch television like that, but who knows? I mean, I hope we do, but it's more how I think how, because people catch up on stuff. Yeah. Yeah. You'll be watching. That's the main thing.

I'm going to, yeah. I certainly will be. I certainly will be. Will you be watching it on the main thing i'm gonna yeah i certainly will be yeah i certainly will be will you be watching it on the day yes absolutely right without doubt yeah no do you remember the first first ever thing that we filmed when we started doing series one what was the first we went we went to we we filmed in london was it us on the coach? I think it was, I actually think it was arriving at the, in London,

you know, when we got off the coach in London. Yeah. It was something like that. I remember Leicester Square was very early on. God, yeah.

Yeah. It was, wasn't it? Yeah. But we started it because that's the only time we've ever shot not in Wales is those two days. Actually, do you know what?

I think it might be like that bar scene. Oh, when we're doing the shots and everything. Yeah, yeah. I remember halfway through that because obviously I don't smoke in real life and Stacey was a smoker and I really practiced beforehand because I thought, right, I'm going to master this now. I'm going to be good. And I did.

Well, I think it was about one smoking scene, wasn't it? And you told me to just stop smoking because I was so bad, didn't you? Did you think I was that bad? I wasn't convinced that you were a smoker. I remember thinking Jo might not have bet she had a cigarette hole. I'd never seen anyone smoke quite so elegantly. Well, I remember I then stopped smoking after, like, I didn't smoke throughout the rest of it.

But before that, we'd done all of the bit in the club. And obviously, I'm not a smoker in real life, but some of the other, you know, ones were. And there were a pack of, like, real life Marlboro Lights, I think it was, on the table. And I picked one up in the scene and then somebody lit the cigarette and I took a massive big drag of it. I literally felt like I was about to pass out

and genuinely felt quite drunk during those scenes then, knocking back the pretend shots and stuff. I have to say, talking about favourite scenes, that is one of my favourite ever scenes, that scene in the club. Yeah. Thought of, some believes that you're

all getting drunk it's it's brilliantly acted and it i say it's brilliantly edited because it's just the club that you go oh yeah these are this is what goes on drinking real drinks and now i know and james obviously mentioned the sofa for sitting on. Typical, isn't it? We're really trying to get something out of people and they just go for comfort. But what's your favourite set to work in, would you say? Out of all of the, Pam and Bix, just because of the space.

But then there's something joyous about Gwen. It's like when you've got everybody in it. The scene, I think when we had the fish and chips like a big scene there's so many people and and they always sit around and and look at it now we went in and we have we we've got we've got something in there and in this one but we used to shoot so much in there and I'm generally going how do you shoot all of that all that stuff all those people I loved it in there I've always that's where I've always felt happiest because it's like it's my home yeah and I love it when Bryn is there and Gwen and Jason and the omelettes are flowing

I feel so happy and it's really small but love it. And do you remember on the first series, there was a weird smell which started in the house and we didn't know why and what the smell was and we discovered at the end of filming that somebody had accidentally turned her freezer off in real life in the house. And the freezer had gone off and all of the food had been like sort of rotting

all the way through filming. I remember that. That smell, yeah. Oh my gosh. I remember that. That smell, yeah. Gosh. I bet she was pleased. You probably got a new freezer in a minute or so. Yeah. Yeah.

But yeah, that was fun. And also what was great is you could, I love those, I love when you shoot in those places and you imagine the sets, but then you've got buses and cars and stuff going past the windows. Yeah. What did you think of it this time when we went back and there were so many crowds watching us this time? Yeah, it was insane, wasn't it?

I had to re-rock an entire scene as I was shooting it one way and then it was barriers with loads of people and I was like, oh, hadn't quite factored that into it. Oh my God. I was going to say then... Which the whole thing, my God. I was going to say then. Which the whole thing round. Gosh.

I was going to ask then which scene it was and then I thought I can't ask you that, can I? No, we can't, no. You weren't in it though, Jo. I was going to ask you something about the characters and I don't want you to say who your favourite is, but just the complexity as we were talking with Rob and Adrian earlier we all know those characters that's why it went down well it's like Only Fools and Horses you love the characters you care about

all of them and there's so many layers but for you you know character wise when you watch is there a favorite couple of yours or, you know, a relationship between two people or is it just all of them, you know? You know what? And it's a really interesting thing. I mean, obviously, I mean, it would be Stacey, obviously, but I'm not. But I think it's genuinely you could put, and I remember thinking this,

you could put any two of the characters in that show in a scene together and you get something brilliant two of the characters in that show in a scene together and you'd get something brilliant because all the relationships, and I think because it is fundamentally a show about relationships, the fact that it doesn't matter who, you know, it's Aneb and Owen, no, it's... No, never. These two are going to, oh, this is going to be a tricky one. You just generally go, oh, this is great is going to be a tricky one you just generally go oh this is great i've

never seen a scene with with these two and and it everybody saw you can mix and match as much as you like and sit here and edit sometimes i'm like oh this this this is my face she's my favorite oh no actually he's my because everything just changes because there's so much brilliant characterization from everybody that i would honestly be hard-pressed to say who I don't think I have a favourite because I'm just genuinely excited with whoever I'm editing, really. Yeah. Oh, what an amazing job you've done for all those years. Thank you so much for what you've done, really.

You want to see what your page is like unedited. Really. I do. All the bloody time yeah yeah well exactly imagine my job no i'm joking joanna peak the phenomenal she's a phenomenal actress oh it's honestly it's been so much fun it was so lovely this special wasn't it i think i was crying from about the second day i think you were crying on the second day as well but i think it was you know when we got like further down i actually saw you like properly cry yeah i mean yeah i think the day when we left what there's time when you go i'm never gonna be here again it was and you were you were terrible because were terrible because you'd come in and just go, well, we'll never be here again.

Well, I'd either thought about that. Yeah. On the second day, I think we finished on Barry Island. Yeah. And that's when I started crying, didn't I? It was terrible. And I will never be in the slots again. Yeah.

And I remember getting into the car to go back to unit base for lunch. And I really was properly crying and I felt so upset. And then I found out that my makeup artist had managed to get herself a chicken breast for lunch instead of what was on the menu. And finding that out literally straight away knocked me out of my being upset. And I just straight away just went, well, how the fuck did you manage to get that? And it put me back down to earth and sort of shook me out of my tears.

So that was quite good. So thank you to Shamila and her chicken breast. She went to demand her own chicken breast. I can't believe nobody's told me that it's chicken breast off menu. Oh, well, listen, Chris, thank you so much for joining us really thank you real honor yeah no i really hope you enjoy it now i can't wait we're gonna do a debrief though in the new year we're

doing a full gavin and stacy what we thought of the ep oh bloody hell maybe you could pop back for 10 minutes that could be that could be awesome, if you don't like it. We'll be critiquing it on our telly pod. Just blame the director, that's all I can say. Oh, my God. Yeah, thank you so much to chat in to us. Lovely to see you and lovely to meet you. Lovely to meet you and Merry Christmas to you. Can't wait to see you at the screening.

I'll see you next week. See you next week. Bye. Lots of love. Bye. Bye. Oh, my gosh. Wasn't that just so lovely talking to Chris?

I love her so much. Well, so lovely. And you are so lucky. I bet she is amazing on the floor directing you. She's fantastic. She is my most favourite person i have ever ever worked with oh that is you don't feel any pressure you feel perfectly relaxed able to just be free and just i love her i love her and just so lovely of her to get james to pop on and say hello as well i know

that was so lovely that he popped in and said hi really really sweet of him really really sweet i just don't know if they realize what they've made but there you go but what's funny though is that we know we're chatting about another but what's coming out of it so much is just this whole feeling of love and everybody just because i'm not nervous or feeling any pressure well i mean i'm not because i'm not editing it and i'm not you know i'm just a piece of it but i think that it's just overr all of it. It's just the love that we've all got for each other. Yeah, it's really come out today. I can really see the joy. You're like one big family.

It is absolutely beautiful. And that does show through the series. And I think that's why people love it so much because you can see the joy. And listeners, make sure that you tune in to Gavin and Stacey the finale on BBC One Christmas Day at nine o'clock. Now before we go we have had so many voice notes from all of our lovely listeners about Gavin and Stacey. We have and I think we

need to get through a few of them so should we start with this one? Yeah come on. I just wanted to say I'd never heard about Gavin and Stacey before I started listening to your podcast. I know you must be thinking she's living under her rock. I was. I watched it. I binged it all in like two weekends. And I was obsessed. All my life now is Gavin and Stacey orientated. And I cannot wait for Christmas Day.

I'm going to be in Portugal because I am from Portugal. And I'll be there with my family for Christmas Day. I'm going to be in Portugal because I am from Portugal and I'll be there with my family for Christmas Day. But I will for sure be tuning in and making everyone watch the Christmas special. I'm so excited. Oh, that's lovely, isn't it?

A new follower of Gavin and Stacey. Yeah. God, that's mad, isn't it? It's amazing, isn't it? There are people, and I'm sure there are generations of people that will keep finding it. Eliza's 14. God, that's mad, isn't it? It's amazing, isn't it, that there are people, and I'm sure there are generations of people, that will keep finding it.

Eliza's 14. Do you know what I mean? Your Eva's... Well, yes, she's 11. 11, but they will find it. And because I don't think it's going to age. I think it is ageless as well. Mm-hmm. Do you know what I mean?

Yeah. I think it will stay. Shall we have another one? Yeah. I just finished listening to your latest episode and was giggling in the car listening to you, Jo, talk about your banana breakfast and the suits and going off on a tangent. And it reminded me so much of the episode in Gavin and Stacey

where you're telling Pam about your brunch and she tells you it's the most boring thing she's ever heard and you need to get a life. And I was giggling in the car because it was just it was so uncannily like it um and just yeah made me smile so thank you for that uh not saying that you're boring and you need to get a life obviously well I was gonna say actually is she saying that your banana story was really boring because at one point there are certain times in here where I could be a bit permanent go do you know what Jo yeah I love you to pieces but you're boring the life out of me love you know I saw that clip the other day and it was the whole Pam comes in and then Stacey's just like

you know well I was hungry and then I had this and that in the end I had a banana and I and I saw it and I was like oh my god but. But it is hilariously. Yeah, and I think I am quite like that in real life. Yeah. Because I do, I will go off on a tangent. Yeah, a little. And sometimes, yeah, it must be quite boring. You're not boring, really. Love you to pieces.

Should we have another one? Yes, let's. Just wanted to send a voice note to say that me and my boyfriend have started watching Gavin and Stacey from the start and he's never seen it before so I wanted to get him up to speed before the Christmas episode anyway so we got to the end of episode four in series one and I feel like surely someone will have messaged in saying this

already so sorry if they have but there's um a clip where Smithy and then Gavin, Pam and Mick are playing Shag, Mary. And then I think it's like going on a cruise around the world. And Smithy picks Sonia from EastEnders to marry. Anyway, I thought that was very funny. Yes! Yes! I know! Oh, my God.

I literally have only just realised that. Smithy marries me. He chooses me to marry. Oh, my God. But Sonia's a good egg. Oh, my God. I've only just realised that. Smithy marries me. He chooses me to marry. Oh, my God. But Sonia's a good egg. Oh, my God. I've only just realised that. What did you think when you heard that?

It's always been on his mind. It's always been there. It just doesn't get quite in. What did you think when you heard that in real life? It was brilliant. I loved it. Loved it. It's so brilliant to be in something so iconic.

Oh, my God. To be mentioned. Yeah. But you're in it. Oh, my. It's so brilliant to be in something so iconic. Oh my God. To be mentioned. Yeah. But you're in it. Oh my God. So do you see what I mean? Where I'm coming from? You don't quite get it, do you?

You still don't quite understand. Brilliant. Shall we have our last voice note? Yeah, just one more. So we've never had like a traditional, what do we sit and watch? We've always watched something in the evening and often it's

like one of the series we've been watching like their christmas specials to either gavin and stacy or downton abbey specials or call the midwife that's always been like what we do um but with gavin and stacy this year obviously very very very excited can't actually explain this. So we live in Bristol and my husband's family live in Swansea. So we're splitting our Christmas day. We have in the morning in Bristol and then we're travelling to Swansea in the evening. But I did say to my husband when this was discussed, yeah, okay, that's fine. We'll go to Swansea Christmas night because we'll be spending Box Day with them. Let's leave at like 10. And he said, well, why are we leaving at 10? I said, well, because obviously we can't go before Gavin

and Stacey's over. And he was like, I'm not traveling at 10 o'clock at night on Christmas Day. And I said, well, I'm not leaving until Gavin and Stacey's finished. Anyway, we've come to the conclusion that actually his family are just as much fans and it will be the most exciting point of the day for everybody. And I have agreed that we will leave before Gavin and Stacey starts because the whole family are going to be sitting and watching it together. So just that's how important the whole thing is to me. Oh my God, it's actually starting to make me feel a bit nervous.

No, it really is. Because what if people watch it and think it's shit? Well, you'll soon know about it, love. In this day and age, you'll soon know about it, but they won't. It's going to be great. Thanks, guys, so much for sending in so many voice notes. I always love listening to what, you know, everybody thinks. It's fantastic, and you're all as excited as me about this special.

God, me too. I can't wait to see the flipping thing now. I can't wait to sit down and watch you at nine o'clock well that was really lovely chatting to all of my friends reminiscing honestly what a magical i feel honored to have been a part of that honestly it's so exciting they were an absolute delight you must be so you're very lucky to all work together you all seem like brilliant people yeah I think I've been very lucky on that job because I mean you know this group of people they're just they're lovely yeah really really lovely no absolutely brilliant and also you don't just have to listen to this

episode you can watch it because we've gone a little bit posh we've gone all fancy now haven't we Jo we have look at us we've got a bit of makeup on got a dress on we're all fancy now, haven't we? Haven't we, Jo? We have. Look at us. We've got a bit of makeup on. Got a dress on. We're all fancy. You've got a little frock on. I'm stealing my cardigan like Pauline Fowler, but never mind. But yeah, you can listen or watch. And I really hope you enjoy this. And we are going to have a little Christmas break.

Yes, we can spend some time with our families, enjoy Christmas. Absolutely. But we will be back in the new year, kicking it off with a Gavin and Stacey special about the finale. Oh, my God. We can pick it to pieces. Well, I can finally talk about it. Yeah.

So please, listeners, let us know what you think about the final ever episode of Gavin and Stacey. What did you think of it? Did it surprise you? Did it make you cry? How are you going to cope without it being there anymore? Thank goodness for BBC iPlayer. That's all I can say.

It'll be on a loop in my house. Well, listeners, let us know all of your voice notes and all of your opinions and what you think. I'm going to have to use my script for the number because I've not been able to remember it. Send us a voice note on WhatsApp and the number is 033 067 84 704. My goodness, finally chat about what's happened. That's going to be lovely. It is going to be lovely. But for now, we're still on countdown. This this episode we hope it gets you in the mood

yeah and have a fantastic christmas thank you so much for all your voice notes they mean so much to us so thank you for all of those and uh and you can still listen to this on bbc sounds or come and give us a watch on youtube but have a lovely lovely christmas everyone merry christmas joe merry christmas now and a merry christmas to everyone at home to everyone there But have a lovely, lovely Christmas, everyone. Merry Christmas, Jo. Merry Christmas, Nat. And a Merry Christmas to everyone at home. To everyone there. Off the Telly is hosted by Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page. The producer is Georgia Keating.

The commissioning editor is Rhian Roberts. And it's a BBC Studios audio production for BBC Sounds. Go to the pub. We're having a Christmas party in our favourite pub. It's an Irish pub. Please feel free to come and join us. We have incredible guests. We have Joanne McNally. Yes. We have Mark Savage. Yes. We have Self Esteem

and we have Femi Colioso. So listen now on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.