Gavin & Stacey fans were over the moon on Tuesday when it was reported that the show would be returning to our screens later this year for a one-off Christmas special.
Well, creator and star Ruth Jones has now spoken out to reveal exactly what’s going on.
And, folks. We’re afraid it’s not good news.
Speaking to RTÉ on Wednesday, Ruth remarked: “It’s, sadly, a rumour. I don’t know what to say. All I can say is, if there was something to say, on that front, James [Corden] and I would happily announce it. We would. But some random journalist who’s decided to write this story – I’m lost for words.”
Referencing a subsequent story in The Sun claiming there was a “bidding war” for the supposed special between the BBC and Netflix, Ruth continued: “I love it because it says, ‘a source says…’. Who is this source? Where does this stuff come from?”
She went on to offer her theory that the story originated after she and James Corden were spotted having lunch together in London last year, when he returned to the UK, having stepped down as host of the US talk show The Late, Late Show.
“We got papped, and then the next thing, it’s, ‘oh my god they must be writing more Gavin & Stacey’,” Ruth added. “It’s lovely that people love it, and they’re so desperate for it, because… imagine if it was the opposite, and they were like, ‘oh God, they’re not bringing that back’.”
“It’s hilarious. And I don’t know… I just have to smile,” she concluded.
Earlier in the week, the BBC declined to comment when contacted by HuffPost UK about the Gavin & Stacey return rumours.
Speculation about Gavin & Stacey’s return has been rife ever since 18 million of us watched Ruth’s character, Nessaget down on one knee in the most recent Christmas special back in 2019.
This one-off reunion was well-received by critics and fans at the time, although it did spark a wave of complaints after an uncensored version of Fairytale Of New York was performed by two characters in its original edit (subsequent broadcasts have removed this sequence).
In the years since, several members of the cast have been open about their hopes for Gavin & Stacey to return in some capacity, including James himself.
“I hope so much we do it,” he revealed in 2020. “The next one will really be the last, final part. And that is a little too much pressure for my chest to take at the moment, if I’m honest.”