The episode was announced months earlier via a US media outlet
Written 3rd June 2024 | Subscribe to our Christmas newsletter
Gavin and Stacey co-creator Ruth Jones called it "really mean" that news of the show's final episode leaked early.
Jones and co-creator James Corden announced earlier this month that the hit comedy series would return for a one-off episode on Christmas Day.
But rumors about the show's return were first reported by the US news outlet Deadline in February.
![Image 1](https://thatchristmasmagic.com/uploads/list-content-stacked/xs/ruth-jones.webp)
Image credit: BBC
"James and I wanted to give everybody a nice surprise and I think it was really mean that they leaked it" Jones said on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour.
"It also forced me to lie to friends and family who were asking, 'Is it happening?' because we couldn't confirm anything until the cast and budget were finalized."
The last episode of Gavin and Stacey aired on Christmas Day in 2019, ending with a cliffhanger when Jones' character Nessa proposed to Corden's character Smithy.
Jones said she was "so thrilled" that people still love the show. "It's a real compliment that even after five years, people are still excited about it," she added.
The highly anticipated Christmas special episode will be aired on Christmas Day.