Gavin and stacey
L-R: Gavin, Stacey, Smithy and Nessa
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oh! what’s occurring?
Gavin And Stacey – 10 Years On www.heatworld.com 3-9 June 2017
heat takes a look at the most famous show ever to come out of Barry Island
I
t’s hard to believe, but it’s ten years since James Corden and Ruth Jones brought Gavin & Stacey into our lives. A decade ago, the majority of the Great British public had no idea where Barry Island was, had never heard anyone ask, “Oh, what’s occurring?” nor realised that eating a corn on the cob could be considered sexual foreplay. Without the show, James Corden might not have become a £10m global superstar – and would Carpool Karaoke even exist without Smithy’s epic Band Aid singalong in the Christmas special? Gavin & Stacey created stars of its cast, including leads
Mathew Horne and Joanna Page, and gave Larry Lamb, who played Gavin’s dad Mick, a role that was the total opposite of his evil EastEnders character, Archie Mitchell. Reflecting on the show, James tells heat, “Gavin & Stacey changed everything, really, for all of us involved in the show. In your career, you hope that you’ll have something that resembles a hit. You don’t ever think that something could mean as much to people as it does right now.” The show followed the relationship of Essex lad Gavin Shipman and Welsh bird Stacey West, who navigate the difficult path of blending two very different
families and sets of friends. It was actually based on a real couple, whose Welsh wedding James attended, then told his close friend Ruth Jones all about. James explains, “The wedding was on Barry Island, and Ruth’s from Cardiff and knows the area quite well. I told her I didn’t think anybody had shown a wedding on TV like the one I had been to.” James based his own character, Smithy, on a friend of his cousin. Other characters in the show are inspired by people James and Ruth met in the hotel bar during the filming of ITV drama, Fat Friends. Ruth had a clear vision of how she wanted her 3-9 June 2017 www.heatworld.com
reports
where are they now? Ten years ago, they were a bunch of little-known stars hoping for their big showbiz break – and now look at them!
Adrian Scarborough and Julia Davis as volatile couple Pete and Dawn
www.heatworld.com 3-9 June 2017
Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb played “little prince” Gavin’s doting ma and pa
James got ex Sheridan Smith a part as his arsey little sister
Ruth. They worked with Alison Steadman, her family cameos. She revealed, “My nephew who played Pamela Shipman, on Fat Friends. Zakk played the little boy on Nessa’s knee in Julia Davis – aka Dawn – had starred Santa’s Grotto. He’s this really tall 17 year old with Ruth in Nighty Night, while now. I can’t get my head around that.” her husband Pete, played by The show lasted for three series, Adrian Scarborough, had been and 20 episodes – including in Alan Bennett’s play and film, a Christmas Special. It scooped The History Boys, with James. two BAFTAs – winning the In fact, James cast most of Audience Award and Best Comedy his History Boys co-stars Performance for James Corden. in roles as Gavin’s friends But Gavin & Stacey wasn’t a huge hit to begin with. When the and his then-girlfriend, first episode aired on BBC3 Sheridan Smith, in May 2007, barely half a played Smithy’s sister, million watched – but less Rudie. And Rudie was than a year later, more named after James’ than 1.7million were own sister, Ruth, The part of (possibly tuning in. After moving who had a cameo gay) Uncle Bryn was written for Rob Brydon to BBC1, the final on the show, too. episode on New Ruth Jones also gave
Year’s Day in 2010 got 10.25million viewers. In the last ten years, over a quarter of British adults have watched the show, which is still regularly repeated on Gold. And Gavin & Stacey has been a big hit with celebrities, too
Mat Horne (Gavlar) Mat hasn’t been off telly since Gavin & Stacey, appearing in Bad Education (TV and film version) and Death In Paradise. Oh, and he voices Dating In The Dark, too.
Joanna Page (Stacey) After the show, Jo went on to appear in Bedlam, The Syndicate and Doctor Who, but also lends her voice to the kids’ cartoon Poppy Cat (yes, she plays the cat) and, weirdly, MTV’s Spring Break With Grandad.
‘Gavin & Stacey changed everything for us’ – James
mirrorpix
character Nessa to behave, saying, “We used to sit in the bar and look around. There was always a function going on, and we’d pick out characters that might be at Gavin and Stacey’s wedding, and improvise what they might say. We had an idea that there would be this best friend who, at every wedding she goes to, ends up getting really drunk and singing Wild Thing.” The pair had originally planned to make Gavin & Stacey a one-off film, with Ruth saying, “When the BBC got our proposal, they said, ‘We don’t have a slot for a one-hour special. Why don’t you chart their relationship and go back to when they met, and culminate the end of the series in their wedding?’” The rewritten proposal for the first series was so good, that when the BBC commissioning editor at the time was reading it on the train, she completely missed her stop. The roles of Gavin and Stacey were cast through auditions, and Mathew and Joanna were chosen because of the amazing chemistry they shared. And there was more chemistry between Mat and James, who went on to have an IRL bromance. The pair hosted the BRITs together, starred in movie Lesbian Vampire Killers, and had their own sketch show. Mat tells heat that the cast still feel just as affectionate about the show as the viewers. “Like many of the people that saw Gavin & Stacey, I hold it very dear to my heart,” he says. “A family was born, and I have so many fond memories of that time with such an amazing cast of people, who are now friends for life.” Many of the characters were already James and Ruth’s friends, and they created roles with them in mind. Uncle Bryn was written for Rob Brydon, who had been to school with
James and Ruth with their TV BAFTAs
James corden (Smithy) What’s he up to? Oh, only bossing US TV by Carpool Karaoke-ing with A-listers on The Late, Late Show. He’s also hosted the Grammys and has a movie career, lending his voice to last year’s Trolls and appearing in Ocean’s 8 next year.
– Tom Jones, Noel Gallagher and Rio Ferdinand are fans. Former Prime Minister David Cameron announced that he regularly watched the show in 10 Downing Street, and it got the royal seal of approval, too, when Prince William told Sheridan Smith he loved her in the show when she collected her OBE. Reminiscing about the show a decade on, Ruth tells heat, “It makes me feel old! I remember texting James before episode
Ruth Jones (Nessa) Not only did Ruth get her own chat show after she finished playing Nessa in G&S, she also created, wrote and starred in Welsh comedy Stella. The sixth series is currently in production.
3-9 June 2017 www.heatworld.com
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The Gavin & Stacey cast: one, big happy family
one went out, going, ‘Oh God, here we go,’ and having no idea what people were going to think. We were so excited when we heard 500,000 people had watched it. It’s flown by really. I didn’t expect people to still be watching it, and it’s a real compliment that they do. I think because it’s still being shown on channels like Gold, it feels like it’s still very current. People’s kids who were toddlers when it first aired are now watching it for the first time. It’s a bit of a mystery, really, as to why it still appeals.” James adds, “It feels in one sense like it was yesterday, and in another sense like it was a lifetime ago. I got quite emotional when I heard that it had been a decade since the first episode went out.” There’s been constant speculation over whether the show will ever return, with James telling heat, “It’s incredibly humbling when anybody mentions that they’d love it to come back.” However, Ruth says, “I just don’t understand why people still keep asking, even though we’ve said time and time again that it’s not happening. It’s a huge compliment that people want more. James and I always talk about where the characters would be right now, and talk about bits that really made us laugh in the series. It’s more enjoyable with a bit of distance – it’s almost like watching a show someone else has made. Nessa still occasionally materialises for charity events, I love getting the kit back on. I do miss her. “But I just don’t see how a new series can happen. James is in the States now, and we see each other about once every couple of years, so even if we wanted to, I don’t see how we could physically. “On the other hand,” she adds, “Never say never.” And finally, of course, everyone who is a fan of the show is dying to know what really happened on the infamous fishing trip? James jokes, “I have no idea. I don’t know, Ruth doesn’t know. And if we don’t know, I can guarantee you no one else does. I don’t ever know if we’ll ever find out… it might be fun to explore it one day, though.” n Kelly Allen
#50
reports
oh! what’s occurring?
Gavin And Stacey – 10 Years On www.heatworld.com 3-9 June 2017
heat takes a look at the most famous show ever to come out of Barry Island
I
t’s hard to believe, but it’s ten years since James Corden and Ruth Jones brought Gavin & Stacey into our lives. A decade ago, the majority of the Great British public had no idea where Barry Island was, had never heard anyone ask, “Oh, what’s occurring?” nor realised that eating a corn on the cob could be considered sexual foreplay. Without the show, James Corden might not have become a £10m global superstar – and would Carpool Karaoke even exist without Smithy’s epic Band Aid singalong in the Christmas special? Gavin & Stacey created stars of its cast, including leads
Mathew Horne and Joanna Page, and gave Larry Lamb, who played Gavin’s dad Mick, a role that was the total opposite of his evil EastEnders character, Archie Mitchell. Reflecting on the show, James tells heat, “Gavin & Stacey changed everything, really, for all of us involved in the show. In your career, you hope that you’ll have something that resembles a hit. You don’t ever think that something could mean as much to people as it does right now.” The show followed the relationship of Essex lad Gavin Shipman and Welsh bird Stacey West, who navigate the difficult path of blending two very different
families and sets of friends. It was actually based on a real couple, whose Welsh wedding James attended, then told his close friend Ruth Jones all about. James explains, “The wedding was on Barry Island, and Ruth’s from Cardiff and knows the area quite well. I told her I didn’t think anybody had shown a wedding on TV like the one I had been to.” James based his own character, Smithy, on a friend of his cousin. Other characters in the show are inspired by people James and Ruth met in the hotel bar during the filming of ITV drama, Fat Friends. Ruth had a clear vision of how she wanted her 3-9 June 2017 www.heatworld.com
reports
where are they now? Ten years ago, they were a bunch of little-known stars hoping for their big showbiz break – and now look at them!
Adrian Scarborough and Julia Davis as volatile couple Pete and Dawn
www.heatworld.com 3-9 June 2017
Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb played “little prince” Gavin’s doting ma and pa
James got ex Sheridan Smith a part as his arsey little sister
Ruth. They worked with Alison Steadman, her family cameos. She revealed, “My nephew who played Pamela Shipman, on Fat Friends. Zakk played the little boy on Nessa’s knee in Julia Davis – aka Dawn – had starred Santa’s Grotto. He’s this really tall 17 year old with Ruth in Nighty Night, while now. I can’t get my head around that.” her husband Pete, played by The show lasted for three series, Adrian Scarborough, had been and 20 episodes – including in Alan Bennett’s play and film, a Christmas Special. It scooped The History Boys, with James. two BAFTAs – winning the In fact, James cast most of Audience Award and Best Comedy his History Boys co-stars Performance for James Corden. in roles as Gavin’s friends But Gavin & Stacey wasn’t a huge hit to begin with. When the and his then-girlfriend, first episode aired on BBC3 Sheridan Smith, in May 2007, barely half a played Smithy’s sister, million watched – but less Rudie. And Rudie was than a year later, more named after James’ than 1.7million were own sister, Ruth, The part of (possibly tuning in. After moving who had a cameo gay) Uncle Bryn was written for Rob Brydon to BBC1, the final on the show, too. episode on New Ruth Jones also gave
Year’s Day in 2010 got 10.25million viewers. In the last ten years, over a quarter of British adults have watched the show, which is still regularly repeated on Gold. And Gavin & Stacey has been a big hit with celebrities, too
Mat Horne (Gavlar) Mat hasn’t been off telly since Gavin & Stacey, appearing in Bad Education (TV and film version) and Death In Paradise. Oh, and he voices Dating In The Dark, too.
Joanna Page (Stacey) After the show, Jo went on to appear in Bedlam, The Syndicate and Doctor Who, but also lends her voice to the kids’ cartoon Poppy Cat (yes, she plays the cat) and, weirdly, MTV’s Spring Break With Grandad.
‘Gavin & Stacey changed everything for us’ – James
mirrorpix
character Nessa to behave, saying, “We used to sit in the bar and look around. There was always a function going on, and we’d pick out characters that might be at Gavin and Stacey’s wedding, and improvise what they might say. We had an idea that there would be this best friend who, at every wedding she goes to, ends up getting really drunk and singing Wild Thing.” The pair had originally planned to make Gavin & Stacey a one-off film, with Ruth saying, “When the BBC got our proposal, they said, ‘We don’t have a slot for a one-hour special. Why don’t you chart their relationship and go back to when they met, and culminate the end of the series in their wedding?’” The rewritten proposal for the first series was so good, that when the BBC commissioning editor at the time was reading it on the train, she completely missed her stop. The roles of Gavin and Stacey were cast through auditions, and Mathew and Joanna were chosen because of the amazing chemistry they shared. And there was more chemistry between Mat and James, who went on to have an IRL bromance. The pair hosted the BRITs together, starred in movie Lesbian Vampire Killers, and had their own sketch show. Mat tells heat that the cast still feel just as affectionate about the show as the viewers. “Like many of the people that saw Gavin & Stacey, I hold it very dear to my heart,” he says. “A family was born, and I have so many fond memories of that time with such an amazing cast of people, who are now friends for life.” Many of the characters were already James and Ruth’s friends, and they created roles with them in mind. Uncle Bryn was written for Rob Brydon, who had been to school with
James and Ruth with their TV BAFTAs
James corden (Smithy) What’s he up to? Oh, only bossing US TV by Carpool Karaoke-ing with A-listers on The Late, Late Show. He’s also hosted the Grammys and has a movie career, lending his voice to last year’s Trolls and appearing in Ocean’s 8 next year.
– Tom Jones, Noel Gallagher and Rio Ferdinand are fans. Former Prime Minister David Cameron announced that he regularly watched the show in 10 Downing Street, and it got the royal seal of approval, too, when Prince William told Sheridan Smith he loved her in the show when she collected her OBE. Reminiscing about the show a decade on, Ruth tells heat, “It makes me feel old! I remember texting James before episode
Ruth Jones (Nessa) Not only did Ruth get her own chat show after she finished playing Nessa in G&S, she also created, wrote and starred in Welsh comedy Stella. The sixth series is currently in production.
3-9 June 2017 www.heatworld.com
#53
#52
The Gavin & Stacey cast: one, big happy family
one went out, going, ‘Oh God, here we go,’ and having no idea what people were going to think. We were so excited when we heard 500,000 people had watched it. It’s flown by really. I didn’t expect people to still be watching it, and it’s a real compliment that they do. I think because it’s still being shown on channels like Gold, it feels like it’s still very current. People’s kids who were toddlers when it first aired are now watching it for the first time. It’s a bit of a mystery, really, as to why it still appeals.” James adds, “It feels in one sense like it was yesterday, and in another sense like it was a lifetime ago. I got quite emotional when I heard that it had been a decade since the first episode went out.” There’s been constant speculation over whether the show will ever return, with James telling heat, “It’s incredibly humbling when anybody mentions that they’d love it to come back.” However, Ruth says, “I just don’t understand why people still keep asking, even though we’ve said time and time again that it’s not happening. It’s a huge compliment that people want more. James and I always talk about where the characters would be right now, and talk about bits that really made us laugh in the series. It’s more enjoyable with a bit of distance – it’s almost like watching a show someone else has made. Nessa still occasionally materialises for charity events, I love getting the kit back on. I do miss her. “But I just don’t see how a new series can happen. James is in the States now, and we see each other about once every couple of years, so even if we wanted to, I don’t see how we could physically. “On the other hand,” she adds, “Never say never.” And finally, of course, everyone who is a fan of the show is dying to know what really happened on the infamous fishing trip? James jokes, “I have no idea. I don’t know, Ruth doesn’t know. And if we don’t know, I can guarantee you no one else does. I don’t ever know if we’ll ever find out… it might be fun to explore it one day, though.” n Kelly Allen
