Gavin & Stacey Star Joanna Page Would Put Money On The Show Returning

Nearly 18 million people tuned into the Christmas special – and they're all hungry for more.

Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page has said she would put money on the show returning after the success of last year’s Christmas special. 

There has been much speculation about future episodes of the BBC sitcom after nearly 18 million viewers watched the festive one-off, which was the first episode in 10 years.

And like the rest of us, Joanna – who plays Stacey Shipman – is hopeful writers Ruth Jones and James Corden will make more, especially after the special’s cliffhanger ending, which saw Nessa proposing to Smithy. 

Open Image Modal
Joanna Page and Mathew Horne play Gavin & Stacey
BBC/GS TV Productions Ltd/Tom Jackson

Speaking to The Sun, Joanna said: “If I had to put a bet on it I would say yes - but I have no idea if it is coming back.

“I thought we would never do it again, I spent 10 years telling people we were never doing it again, then suddenly we did the special!

“But when I first read [the script] on my phone and got to the end I thought: ‘What!! They can’t leave it like that!!’

“I want to know if Smithy is going to say yes, so they’ve got to do one.”

Joanna also revealed she has a few ideas for another special, should Ruth and James be in need of some inspiration. 

“I would really like to do a holiday special,” she said. 

“They should set it in Spain and we should be out there filming for at least a month, that’s what I am putting forward - I want it to be set in Spain.”

Open Image Modal
The cast of Gavin & Stacey
BBC/GS TV Productions Ltd/Tom Jackson

Joanna’s co-star Larry Lamb – who plays Mick Shipman – has already called for the public to help put pressure on Ruth and James to write future episodes. 

However, Ruth admitted even she “genuinely doesn’t know” what’s next for Smithy and Nessa following the Christmas special. 

“You could go either way with it. It could be the most ridiculous thing, or it could be a marriage made in heaven,” she told The Sun

“But don’t you think it would end the interest? If they did become a proper couple, would that spoil it? These are all questions that we ponder.”

While she recently said the cliffhanger ending left “room for more”, she also noted that getting the cast together for one special alone was a “challenge”.

“It’s a shame we didn’t have more time when we were writing so we could have written more, then have it all ready to go,” she added.

Open Image Modal
Fans were left wondering if Smithy accepted Nessa's proposal after the cliffhanger ending
BBC

The Gavin & Stacey Christmas special became the most watched non-sporting event of the decade after seven-day catch up figures were added to the 11.6m people who watched the show live on Christmas Day, which already marked the highest festive telly ratings since 2008

The number of people who have watched the show currently stands at 17.92m – a figure that will increase further when 28-day catch up figures are added later this month. 

Gavin & Stacey originally ran for three series and a Christmas special from 2007 to 2010.