James Corden gives fans a major Gavin & Stacey update (2024)

James Corden fans were given a major Gavin & Stacey update after his farewell performance in The Constituent on Sunday evening.

The actor previously confirmed he has written a much anticipated finale for the popular sitcom with co-creator and co-star Ruth Jones, which is scheduled to air on Christmas Day.

Ending his two-month run in Joe Penhall's politically charged drama at London's Old Vic, Corden, 45, revealed he is now free to start work on the farewell episode in Wales, the show's spiritual home.

Sharing a video of his final bow with Instagram followers, he wrote: 'Tonight was the last night of The Constituent at the Old Vic theatre.

'I can’t tell you what being in the play has meant to me, it’s been life changing. To share such an iconic stage with @annamaxwellmartin and @zacharyhart is something I will treasure forever.

'Thank you to everyone who came out to see it. It’s off to Barry Island now for the next 7 weeks! All my love, James.'

The iconic BBC comedy is set to return on ChristmasDay for its last ever episode, with fans hoping to see the outcome of the dramatic proposal cliffhanger between Nessa, played by Jones, and Corden's bumbling Essex boy Smithy.

There have been no new episodes since the most recent special episode was aired in 2019 - almost five years ago, so fans are getting impatient.

Speaking on Capital Breakfast radio on July 10,the actor, co-creator and co-writer told host Jordan North that the final script would definitely be ready by the following Friday, meaning shooting can start very 'soon' and it's 'not far away now'.

And now, the exciting promise has been kept as James, who plays Smithy, shared the update live on air that the important step is finally complete.

Speaking on Chris Evans' show, the star exclaimed: 'We finished it yesterday'.

He explained that it was also his niece's 18th birthday so he and family headed out to see co-creator and co-writer Ruth Jones, 57, in Sister Act to celebrate both occasions.

James joked: 'They chose not to see my play [the Constituent] because they wanted something that was perhaps a bit more uplifting.

'So I then went to meet them in Ruth's dressing room and we all had a glass of champagne and then they had to get the train, and Ruth and I walked back to her place, and we just sat and we had a drink.'

He added: 'We actually sent the cast a photo on our little chat group saying 'we've finished our shows and we finished the rewrites and a script will be winding its way to you guys. It'll be going ... I guess they'll get the script, I guess, in the next few days.'

The critically acclaimed series follows the lives of the two titular characters Gavin from Essex and Stacey from South Wales, documenting key points in their long-distance relationship and events that bring the two families together.

Gavin And Stacey first aired in 2007 and ran for just 21 episodes, spanning three seasons and two Christmas specials.

The show's popularity was stratospheric with 2019's Christmas special garnering a whopping 18.49million viewers.

It comes after Gavin & Stacey star Rob Brydon revealed that the show's much-anticipated Christmas finale will 'wrap up' all of the show's long-running storylines.

Speaking recently on Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Davina McCall, Rob admitted that he and much of the cast are yet to see the full script for the festive special.

Creators James and Ruth confirmed last month that the script was nearing completion, with BBC bosses recently saying that even they are yet to see the story for the final episode, over fears it could be leaked.

Quizzed about the upcoming episode, Rob jokingly quipped: 'Having read it, they handled Bryn's funeral really sensitively! I was worried I wasn't going to be in it, but they've got loads of flashbacks!'

On a serious note, the comic added: 'Do you know what, I know some of the stuff that happens, but I don’t think any of the cast have seen the script yet.

'They told me one or two little bits of bobs had happened, and I believe it does wrap it all up.'

Rob is expected to reprise his role as Stacey's beloved Uncle Bryn in the comedy, with fans hoping they'll finally learn the truth about what went on during the infamous fishing trip.

Meanwhile, the actor who played baby Neil on Gavin And Stacey is 'disappointed' to have not been included in the upcoming final episode.

Oscar Hartland, 15, played the son of Smithy and Nessa on the hit BBC Three sitcom from birth, but wasn't even asked to feature in the last ever special, which will air on Christmas Day.

He told The Sun: 'I'm disappointed. I was hoping to get the call. Neil must feature in the final episode because they can't write him out. Neil would be 15, the same age as me.'

Oscar made his first appearance in the finale of series two in 2008 and was last seen in the festive special in 2019.