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'Gavin & Stacey' In The Press...Which Gavin and Stacey character are you? Take the UKTV G.O.L.D quiz to find out which Gavin & Stacey character you are most like. UK TV Gold, 8th March 2010 Voters know me from Gavin and Stacey, says Prescott Former deputy PM John Prescott says his appearance on hit BBC show Gavin and Stacey did more for his political profile than 40 years of campaigning. BBC, 17th February 2010 Gavin wants to call it quits with Stacey Although Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb, his co-stars in Gavin & Stacey, have set their hearts on seeing the award-winning BBC comedy series turned into a film, Matthew Horne tells me that it would be "a terrible idea." Written by Tim Walker. Daily Telegraph, 24th January 2010 Star says there is more to come Star Larry Lamb says there is more to come, as 140,000 fans join Facebook campaign to bring back Gavin and Stacey. Written by Liz Thomas. The Daily Mail, 9th January 2010 If you missed season three of this ever-wonderful family sitcom, you can catch the entire run tonight. Some of the dynamics of the show are changing: Nessa (Ruth Jones) seems less amenable, Mick (Larry Lamb) a little spikier (shades of his EastEnders character?) and Bryn (Rob Brydon) even stranger, but it remains sweet-natured. As the final series opens, Gavin (Mathew Horne) has started a new job in Cardiff so Stacey (Joanna Page) is back at home in Barry and a christening is being planned for baby Neil, but there's a shock in store for his father, Smithy (James Corden). The final episode of Gavin and Stacey saw lovesick Smithy interrupt Nessa's wedding to Dave Coaches with a speech so poignant, funny and beautifully delivered that you could almost forgive writer/star James Corden for Horne & Corden. Almost, but not quite. Cosy comedy Gavin & Stacey returned for its third - and if rumours are to be believed, final - series in 2009. There was more screen-time for supporting characters like Pete, Dawn and Doris, while the final scene of the series was a universal crowd-pleaser. We won't lie, though, at times the show became a bit too 'knowing', but at its heart it remained more appealing than Smithy's bhunas. Gavin and Stacey: Series three, episode six It might be the last episode ever - and the will-they-won't-they tension is building to a peak. Written by Heidi Stephens. The Guardian, 1st January 2010 It's Nessa and Dave's wedding, an event every fan will be wishing doesn't happen. We all know she's supposed to end up with Smithy. So does he. The moment he meets Nessa to collect baby Neil and just can't bring himself to reveal his feelings is heart breaking. As she heads up back the motorway for her big day you want to shout at the telly: "Go after her, you big buffoon!" We'd better start the petition now. If tonight is truly to be the last-ever Gavin & Stacey, there will be much wailing and rending of garments on the sofas of Britain. Sitcoms this complete don't come along every day. For my money, G&S assembled the finest group of believably, lovably mad characters in one cast since Walmington-on-Sea's Home Guard last lined up. Amid the scene-stealing eccentrics, it's easy to overlook how good James Corden is as Smithy. Throughout the series he has been great in those awkward moments with Nessa. He's mostly hovered on the sidelines, but tonight his moment may have come. We start on the eve of Nessa and Dave's wedding. "How many times do you get married in this life?" she wonders aloud. "Twice? Three times? I want to do it in style." And as we know, Nessa's idea of style is an ocean away from anyone else's - not so much meringue as Viking princess. What unfolds is as poignant and sharp as you'd expect, albeit with an ending that feels awfully final. Come on chaps: what price a Christmas special next year? David Butcher, The Radio Times, 1st January 2010 According to co-writers Ruth Jones and James Corden, this is the show's last ever episode, and the series ends, as all self-respecting feelgood comedy dramas should, with a wedding, a big revelation and a semi-ironic blast of Angry Anderson's Suddenly. Controversially, the BBC has already released the DVD of this third series, so you may already know that John Prescott makes a brief cameo, and that Nessa (Jones) is towed to the church in a trailer attached to the back of her father's brown Mini Metro. But if not: enjoy. Vanessa and Dave's nuptials are imminent and Stacey has exciting news for Gavin. Meanwhile Smithy hovers between Leigh Delamere services and the Severn Bridge, wondering whether he should call a halt to the wedding. And Corden totally nails his performance in this final episode. He should stick to acting. As a series closer, it does everything necessary to leave you feeling like you've had three courses and coffee, and you can't say fairer than that. Farewell, Gavin and Stacey. It was your time to go, but it was a good death. Gavin and Stacey: Series three, episode five The Smithy-Nessa-Dave love triangle is hotting up - and someone in Barry Island tourist office is very happy indeed. Written by Heidi Stephens. The Guardian, 26th December 2009 It's a madly unseasonal episode, but a superb one. Picture a bank holiday with all the regulars in Barry for a day on the beach. Soon Uncle Bryn is rubbing sun cream onto Mick, while Nessa and Smithy make sand castles with the baby. The only fly in the candyfloss is poor Gavin, who is still down in the mouth, at least until a chat from his dad puts things in perspective - the kind of scene this series conjures out of nowhere that can have you blinking away tears before you know it. David Butcher, The Radio Times, 25th December 2009 In the final ever episode (well, until they're talked into another Christmas special), preparations are being made for the wedding of Nessa and Dave. Nessa wants to make a splash on her big day. After all, she says, how many times does someone get married in their lifetime? Two? Three? So her fingernails are painted black, her dress is inspired by Boadicea - and everybody is suitably stunned. And that's even before they arrive at the church, where - in the briefest and unlikeliest guest appearance on record - someone entirely unexpected is ushered into the church. Elsewhere, Stacey has some news for Gavin that will change their lives. You'll never guess what. It culminates in a homage to Four Weddings and a Funeral, which is as good a way as any to round off this warm-hearted series. Rob Brydon on life as Gavin & Stacey's Uncle Bryn Rob Brydon on the ups and downs of life as Gavin & Stacey's Uncle Bryn. Written by Deborah Ross. The Independent, 19th December 2009 TV ratings: Gavin & Stacey pulls in nearly 6m BBC1 comedy Gavin & Stacey wins slot at 9pm with 25% share, gaining 100,000 viewers on previous episode. Written by Jason Deans. The Guardian, 18th December 2009 Gavin and Stacey: Series three, episode four The plot's gone a bit crazy, but an edge-of-your-seat ending bodes well for the Christmas Day episode. Written by Heidi Stephens. The Guardian, 18th December 2009 Gavin And Stacey series 3 episode 4 review Charm and poignancy come through as Gavin and Stacey get some difficult news... Written by Madeleine York. Den of Geek, 17th December 2009 Poor Gavin. He's just discovered Stacey has been off the pill for a year without telling him - now Bryn's giving him advice on sex. The only thing that could make it worse is Stacey's mum being there, too... which, of course, she is. Gavin And Stacey series 3 episode 3 review Nessa becomes unlikeable. A new drink is invented. Is Gavin and Stacey threatening to outstay its welcome? Written by Madeleine York. Den Of Geek, 11th December 2009 TV ratings: Gavin & Stacey pulls in tidy 6m BBC1 sitcom pulls in 2m more than The Bill in most-watched show of its third series. Written by John Plunkett. The Guardian, 11th December 2009 Gavin and Stacey: series three, episode three Gavin has a night out with the boys while Stacey makes a worrying discovery. Written by Heidi Stephens. The Guardian, 10th December 2009 As Stacey (Joanna Page) frets over her efforts to get pregnant, Gavin (Mathew Horne) plays host to his Essex chums on a boys' night out in Cardiff, in the sublime comedy series about the eponymous Anglo-Welsh couple. Uncle Bryn (the incomparable Rob Brydon) turns his house into a "bachelors' paradise" for Gavin's friends, and grows dizzy with excitement at being surrounded by a whole gang of Essex scamps. "I feel like Fagin," he quivers. Stacey thinks she's pregnant and spends the whole episode getting excited, but has yet to take a test. And Smithy avoids Nessa as he and the Essex massive spend a weekend in Wales, staying at Bryn's. Rob Brydon makes the very best of Bryn's ambiguities as he welcomes a gang of lager-swilling lads into his home. But the repeated gags (you slaaaags) and the heavy-handed plotting lack the initial sweetness this show was sold on. After the charm has gone, it's just people saying things to each other in two different accents. John Prescott to appear in TV comedy Gavin and Stacey Former deputy prime minister John Prescott is to make a cameo appearance in BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey. BBC News, 9th December 2009 BBC slammed for releasing Gavin & Stacey DVD The BBC has 'devalued the licence fee' by releasing the new series of Gavin & Stacey on DVD before it has finished its TV run, critics said. Daily Mail, 8th December 2009 Gavin And Stacey series 3 episode 2 review A more satisying episode than last week's, as Gavin and Stacey sit back for a curry... Written by Madeleine York. Den Of Geek, 4th December 2009 TV ratings: Gavin & Stacey pulls in 5m BBC1 sitcom hit by stiff competition from ITV1's I'm a Celebrity. Written by Jason Deans. The Guardian, 4th December 2009 Gavin and Stacey: series three, episode two Trying for a baby, trying for a job - and trials for Dave Coaches. Written by Heidi Stephens. The Guardian, 3rd December 2009 One of the sweet things about this series is how conventional Gavin and Stacey actually are. Last week, they decided to try for a baby, so by golly this week, that's what they're going to do - even if their friends and family keep getting in the way. A top-notch Gavin & Stacey episode is a beautiful thing. It bathes you in a warm glow, thanks to its lovingly rendered quirks of family life - having a "messy drawer" or making an omelette with yesterday's beef - even as it folds you up with laughter. Tonight's plot is nothing fancy. There always needs to be an excuse to bring the Barry Island folk and the Billericayites together, and in this case it's a gathering planned at Mick and Pam's for a golf and spa weekend (for which we welcome back the beloved/dreadful Pete and Dawn). But before that gets going there's a Friday-night curry, the ordering of which takes about half the episode ("Gav - will you laugh at me if I have a korma?" etc). It's not just a nice riff on a modern ritual, it turns out to be about something else - why Nessa and Smithy belong together. Along the way there's a fine scene where Bryn puts on a fake job interview for Stacey, a hilarious passing reference to John Nettles, and Smithy's loving re-creation of a Kanye West rap, performed with his sister in a car park - and down the phone to Gavlahh. It's brilliant. David Butcher, The Radio Times, 3rd December 2009 How did they know the number? Within 11 minutes of Gavin settling into his new office in Wales, his family and friends were all ringing him on his work phone to find out how he was doing. Did he send them a text containing his extension - before he even knew how to work his office phone? Was it a round-robin e-mail? I mean, we all do it before starting a new job - send our family and friends the number. Or perhaps they looked up the switchboard number of the firm in the Yellow Pages and called there. I mean, there's no way they'd use his mobile phone number. The cost of calling some networks can be prohibitive. For all its BAFTAs, series three of Gavin & Stacey was about as fresh or contemporary as Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Sadly, it's all become a bit twee and stagey. In hard times, it's the Gavin and Staceys we want Modern sitcoms may seem cutting age, but they are more conservative than ever. And they are driven by old-fashioned virtues. Written by Marc Blake. The Independent on Sunday, 29th November 2009 All the same, I was interested to see whether the gentle BBC series, which returned last week for a third and final series, would have shed a little fairy dust in the aftermath of the lamentable solo efforts of James Corden and Mathew Horne. It didn't take long, however, to be reminded that neither actor has ever been a main draw among the superlative cast (though credit goes to Corden as co-writer). The action has shifted to Barry Island, which will please fans of Ruth Jones's brilliantly deadpan Nessa and Rob Brydon's Uncle Bryn - a caricature, but an excellent one. Rhiannon Harries, The Independent on Sunday, 29th November 2009 Gavin & Stacey are back for what they say will be the final series of this immensely well-written and properly amusing sitcom. The unamusing truth about comedies is that they generally die half a dozen episodes before keeling over, and Gavin & Stacey is a dead sitcom walking. Everybody has that distracted look of actors in the middle of contract negotiations, talking to their agent between takes. The BBC's hit comedy Gavin & Stacey was back with its winning formula of gooey romance, slapstick angst and recurring logistical challenge of getting a vast ensemble of Essex and Welsh people into the same room without it seeming odd. Perhaps that's its genius. This week they solved it with a christening party, adding yet more characters. Here was Nessa's dad and Smithy's mother (Pam Ferris, looking like she'd slept in a skip), and Ewan Kennedy was cracking as the new baby, Neil - strapped facing outwards on Nessa's back. "That's so I can smoke," she drawled. Gavin and Stacey are a warm bath with razor blades Contrary to the general opinion, there are plenty of sharp corners to this comedy's comfy, plushly upholstered format. Written by Andrew Billen. The Times, 28th November 2009 Video: 'Doris' on Gavin and Stacey role Video interview with actress Margaret John who has become a hit with viewers of Gavin and Stacey, playing neighbour Doris with a colourful array of one-liners. BBC Wales Today, 27th November 2009 Last Night's TV - Gavin & Stacey I'm sick to the back teeth of hearing "What's occurin'". It seems to be the phrase du jour and while that's doubtless a great accolade for the show, and for Nessa, it's jarring and annoying. But there's no doubt that the humour is - judging by last night's final series opener - still as fresh and rapier-wit-funny as it has apparently been from the get go. Written by Lynn Rowlands-Connolly. Unreality TV, 27th November 2009 I can see why people like Gavin & Stacey, I really can. It's warm. It's cuddly. It's the celluloid equivalent of on a mug of tea and a slab of Dairy Milk. And it really is all of those things - Joanna Page, who plays Stacey is cute as a button, just Bridget-Jonesy enough for us empathise with, the type of lass any well-brought-up young girl would want to be friends with. And Mat Horne (Gavin) is, for want of a better word, fit. In a safe way. And well dressed, with the not-at-all-bad-looking Page as his girlfriend, so mothers like him and men have a degree of grudging respect for him. And then there's James Corden, who plays Gavin's best mate, Smithy, and everyone knows that James Corden's lovely. So yes: as Bob Hope would say, what's not to like? Gavin And Stacey series 3 episode 1 review It's the inherent good nature of all the characters in Gavin And Stacey that makes the comedy so winning and warming. Written by Madeleine York. Den of Geek, 27th November 2009 Legend has it James Corden and Ruth Jones thought long and hard about the whys and wherefores and the what's occurrings involved in a third series of Gavin & Stacey (BBC1). As it stood, they had two perfectly formed series and one special, so cult status was assured. Stretch it out and the danger was it could all go a bit My Family. So it was a relief to find that, at least in parts, the charms of G&S - not just a sitcom, but an Anglo-Welsh melange of social integration, drizzled with dollops of juicy profanity - were still cooking with gas. With Gavin relocated to Wales for work, there was scope for surreal culture shock. Keith Watson, Metro, 27th November 2009 Video: I live in Stacey's house Barry resident Glenda Keynon has welcomed hundreds of Gavin and Stacey fans into her living room since the popular sitcom show began. BBC News, 27th November 2009 Their sketch show was an obnoxious, homophobic mess, so it's probably wise that Mathew Horne and James Corden have returned in the show that first made them popular, Gavin & Stacey. The first episode of this final series was like a warm bath: slightly eccentric characters, love and empathy bubbling around the intertwined lives of three families. Gavin has moved to Wales to work and live with Stacey and was bored. His first day at work was littered with grating, if sweet, interventions - balloons, phone messages, a packed lunch from Rob Brydon's Uncle Bryn - which delighted his new, and yes kooky, colleagues. Gavin & Stacey, BBC One, review Michael Hogan reviews the return of the popular Anglo-Welsh sitcom Gavin & Stacey. Written by Michael Hogan. Daily Telegraph, 27th November 2009 Gavin & Stacey: series three, episode one Gavin is feeling homesick in Cardiff as the clan get set to reunite for the christening of baby Neil. Written by Heidi Stephens. The Guardian, 27th November 2009 Gavin & Stacey (BBC1) are back for a third and, we are told, final series. But we won't dwell on that because the thought of television schedules bereft of this last tiny bastion of warmth, wit and occasional tiny oubliettes full of wisdom is one I cannot hold for long without tears starting to brim. We like James Corden a lot more when he's putting his talents to this Bafta-winning series rather than letting his ego run riot on other formats. It's the christening of Nessa and Smithy's baby that warrants the bringing together of the Essex and Welsh families in this first episode of the final series. Of second concern is jobs: Nessa's got two, Smithy and Stacey don't have any and Gavin's got a new one at which he's thoroughly embarrassed after family and friends bombard him with impromptu visits, phone calls, packed lunches and other well-wishing surprises. Sharon Lougher, Metro, 26th November 2009 Gavin & Stacey's journey from cult viewing to national treasure (seven million watched their Christmas Eve special last year) has been the stuff of fairy tales. When so few sitcoms cross over to be national hits, it's the kind of success that should lead to a string of series and bonanza DVD sales for years to come. Instead, writers James Corden and Ruth Jones are putting their gift horse out to pasture, so enjoy this third series (assuming they don't relent - we can cross fingers for more Christmas specials) while it lasts. It starts well, with Gavlah getting a culture shock at his new job in Barry (look out for his misunderstanding of "seven-a-side") and Stace hooked on Psychologies magazine. They're gearing up, along with everyone else, for the Christening of Smithy and Nessa's baby, the unfortunately named Neil Noel Edmond Smith. It's the kind of eccentric set-piece occasion the series pulls off a treat. The high point involves Bryn launching into inappropriate song from the altar, backed by Doris from next door on drums. It's a priceless moment, beautifully performed, as ever, by Rob Brydon as Bryn. David Butcher, The Radio Times, 26th November 2009 It's gone from the BBC Three backwater to official National Treasure status in a couple of years, and its popularity even seems to have survived the abomination that was Horne & Corden. Now Gavin & Stacey returns for its third and final series. The first series saw the titular couple fall in love and get married, the second followed them having marital troubles so where next? This being the end I'm assuming there'll be a sprog by the end of the series to add to Nessa's gloriously named Neil Noel Edmond. The eagerly-awaited Series Three finally materialises and it doesn't disappoint. It's as warmly affectionate as ever and there are lots of big life changes in the offing to keep it fresh as everyone descends on Barry tonight for the christening of Neil the baby. A beginner's guide to Britain's funniest show Tender, sweet, near the knuckle without-overstepping boundaries, raunchy but never smutty, daring and never bowing down at the altar of political correctness (yet not seeking to offend), Gavin & Stacey is everything great comedy should be. Written by Jaci Stephen. The Daily Mail, 26th November 2009 Where Little Britain produced bizarre, gross-out comedy, Gavin & Stacey is a very traditional sitcom. It works in the manner of Dad's Army or Birds of a Feather - the eponymous leads, played by Mathew Horne and Joanna Page, provide a focus in front of a background populated by slightly grotesque caricatures, such as Rob Brydon's camp and simple-minded Uncle Bryn. Now for this third and final series, James Corden's Smithy is still living in Essex while Gavin (his best friend) and Stacey (Gavin's wife) have moved to Stacey's home town of Barry Island in South Wales. As the familiar characters reunite for the christening of Smithy and Nessa's son Neil, viewers who are new to the series (which has previously won two Baftas) may find that this opening instalment is not as immediately likeable or accessible as they might wish. Who, after all, would choose to spend time in the company of Gavin's shouty mother Pam (Alison Steadman) or Stacey's offensive best friend Nessa (Corden's co-writer Ruth Jones)? But as this first episode continues (next week's second is much funnier), it becomes obvious that these weirdly dysfunctional families makes a kind of sense - and that their ludicrous travails are no more ludicrous than most family's. So it's all very sweet, even if there's none of the innovation or edginess you'd find in The Office or The Thick of It. Gavin and Stacey have moved back to Barry, and the Shipman family cohort is heading down the M4 for Neil the baby's christening. It's a mixture of warm, toasty moments and crass comic set pieces in lieu of gags. Between Jones and Corden you can guess who wrote which bit. Tedious phone business with Smithy and Gavin repeatedly calling each other "slaaaags" - probably Corden. Sweet exchange between Stacey and her mum: "Ooh, I just called you Gwen!" - most likely Jones. It's still nice, but it has an extra edge of cynicism since the Horne/Corden toxic media assault of 2009. Rob Brydon steals the episode as usual, though. Horne urges fans to enjoy 'Gavin & Stacey 3' Mat Horne has encouraged fans to enjoy the final series of Stacey & Stacey instead of worrying about it coming to an end. Written by Dan French. Digital Spy, 25th November 2009 Gavin & Stacey - a tidy catch up The third and final series returns to find the titular characters living in Barry and Nessa deciding whether to marry Dave Coaches or not. Written by Heidi Stephens. The Guardian, 25th November 2009 The Sun interviews James Corden and Ruth Jones But both believe the third series - which starts on Thursday at 9pm on BBC1 - is the best. Written by Gordon Smart. The Sun, 24th November 2009 Follow Gavin and Stacey: reasons to move to South Wales The young couple start a new life in Barry in the third series of the BBC comedy. Here are the reasons why you should too. Written by Elisabeth Mahoney. The Guardian, 24th November 2009 Joanna Page: 'They said I was rubbish' She made it through ten years of bit parts to play Stacey in the hit comedy, but the actress says that she is ready to be a housewife. Written by Hugo Rifkind. The Times, 21st November 2009 Ten things you didn't know about Gavin & Stacey The third - and final - series of Gavin & Stacey is about to return, with the nation eager to learn the fates of the Essex boy and his Welsh bride, and their tubby best friends Smithy and Nessa. Written by Amanda Cable. The Daily Mail, 21st November 2009 Cardiff confidential: Saying farewell to Gavin & Stacey Just 24 months ago, the first series of Gavin & Stacey had finished airing on BBC3, attracting a respectable but hardly earth-shattering half a million viewers and a few approving reviews. Two years on, and Gavin & Stacey has won two Baftas and countless British Comedy Awards. Written by Gerard Gilbert. The Independent, 21st November 2009 Can Nessa and Smithy settle their differences for baby Neil? The Daily Mail, 17th November 2009 Gavin & Stacey's late developer Rob Brydon He was rejected from RADA for being too provincial and told he had a face made for voice-overs (for toilet duck). How did Rob Brydon fight back? Two words: Uncle Bryn. Written by Simon Lewis. Daily Mail, 14th November 2009 The wait is nearly over. This November, Gavin & Stacey returns for a whole new series on BBC One. Here's a short and tidy video catch-up to remind you of the story so far. Written by David Thair. BBC Comedy Blog, 10th November 2009 Ruth Jones cried for a week filming final scenes Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones cried for a week as the cast filmed their final scenes for the BBC1 comedy, she has admitted. Daily Telegraph, 7th November 2009 Here's some cracking news - Gavin and Stacey may be about to return for its final series, but it will NOT be axed for good. The Sun, 31st October 2009 Rob Brydon: "Lots of things, momentous things, happen. I can say Uncle Bryn is in it a lot, I think he has more to do than he has in previous series." Liverpool Daily Post, 28th August 2009 Ruth Jones: I wish I was more like Nessa Viewers can't seem to get enough of Gavin & Stacey star Ruth Jones... but there's little danger of success going to her head. Written by Beth Neil. The Mirror, 17th August 2009 You can't blame BBC3 for constantly repeating its best-ever programme. Here's yet another chance to laugh along with a long-distance relationship conducted in Billericay (his home) and Barry Island (hers), complicated by the young lovers' ditsiness and their weird families and friends. The starry supporting cast (Alison Steadman, Rob Brydon, plus writers Ruth Jones and James Corden) provide the vulgar belly laughs, all as larger-than-life loons who never quite tip over into caricature, thanks to the earthy, affectionate script. Jack Seale, The Radio Times, 3rd August 2009 Gavin and Stacey head to the beach The sun was out at Barry Island as the cast of Gavin and Stacey took to the beach for the filming of the third series. The Daily Mail, 9th July 2009 It's Gavin & Stacey... and Tom Gavin & Stacey show bosses are busy creating a new character in the series for Tom Jones. The Sun, 4th July 2009 Ruth Jones: Gavin & Stacey interview The shy star of 'Gavin and Stacey' talks about her latest role, writing with James Corden and the pleasures of 'nice-com'. Written by James Rampton. The Independent, 3rd July 2009 Gavin and Stacey 'say goodbye' Gavin and Stacey writer and star James Corden says he's "very sad" as the cast prepare for the third and final series of the hit TV show. Rehearsals commence on 8 June, with filming starting on 15 June. Written by Greg Cochrane. BBC, 3rd June 2009 Pam Ferris to star in Gavin & Stacey Comedy legend Pam Ferris will soon be larkin' around in Gavin & Stacey - as Smithy's mum Kath. The Sun, 1st June 2009 The new series of Gavin & Stacey has been cut from seven to six episodes. James Corden and Ruth Jones - who write the comedy hit and star as Smithy and Nessa - are too busy to make the full run. Written by Jen Blackburn. The Sun, 2nd April 2009 I partied too hard: James Corden Since hitting the headlines as the star and writer of hit comedy Gavin & Stacey, James Corden has become an unlikely pin-up. Written by Emma Cox. The Sun, 19th January 2009 Gavin and Stacey star 'pressure' Ruth Jones, the co-writer of the acclaimed comedy Gavin and Stacey, says the "pressure is on" as she starts work on the third series. BBC News, 16th January 2009 Actress Joanna Page says she'd be happy to do Gavin & Stacey for another 20 years. The Sun, 5th January 2009 Gavin and Stacey live in my house When the cast of hit comedy Gavin & Stacey pack up after filming in the show's two houses, the real owners can move back in. The Mirror, 3rd January 2009 Perhaps the best sitcom of the year was Gavin and Stacey. As Henry Normal pointed out - there are loads of scenes when everyone's laughing but nobody's the butt of the joke - a refreshing approach. The sequence where the entire family got fantastically over-excited over Gavin's dad's (three-second) appearance on the news was probably the best portrayal of family life on TV since the early days of The Royle Family. We'll put aside memories of that horribly disappointing Christmas special, though, and hope for the best when the recently announced third series rolls around. James Corden: Worth his weight in gold If 2008 was the year comedy actor and writer James Corden's career took off, 2009 will see it go stratospheric. The Telegraph, 1st January 2009 Shipman's victim's son attacks Gavin and Stacey The BBC comedy series Gavin and Stacey has delighted millions of fans whilst also gaining a clutch of awards. But until the Christmas special, few among the audience had realised that the main characters are named after serial killers. Written by Julie Moult. The Daily Mail, 1st January 2009 "It's Chriiiisssstmaaasss!" hollers Smithy down the phone to Gavin, and indeed it is. Unlike some Christmas specials whose only relevance to this time of year is the transmission date, our December date with the Shipmans and the Wests was the televisual equivalent of a full turkey dinner, turning up sloshed at midnight mass and answering the door to three sullen youths who give you a load of abuse when asked to expand their carolling repertoire beyond the chorus of 'We wish you a Merry Christmas.' Plus, it had a decent plot and some killer lines. Marvellous. The problem with Gavin and Stacey - other than James Corden's penchant for making a prat of himself at awards ceremonies - is not that it's terrible. It isn't. It's overrated but it can actually be rather sweet, albeit with self-consciously saucy bits (An old lady talking about drugs! How risque!) and an irksome jarring inauthenticity. Still, like the mint Baileys that so beguiles Bryn (Rob Brydon), Corden and Ruth Jones's comedy is something of an acquired taste and one acquired by rather a lot of people. This hour-long special is destined to become a classic - as James Corden and Mathew Horne confirm they'll be making another series. One of the most endearing and understated series of recent years, this sure-fire comedy about Essex boy Gavin and his Welsh sweetheart, Stacey, combines mordant humour and cringe-making moments of mundanity with seemingly effortless success. Gavin and Stacey ready to return Gavin and Stacey co-writers James Corden and Ruth Jones have announced there will be a third series of the hit comedy show. They made the announcement live on stage in Barry Island, where Jones was hosting an open-air edition of her BBC Radio Wales show. BBC, 21st December 2008 James Corden on the Christmas special After a year in which he won a Bafta for playing the lovably flawed Smithy in Gavin & Stacey, then a British Comedy Award for co-writing the thing, and was extolled as the new face of British comedy, James Corden is entitled to put up his feet on Christmas Day. Written by Ed Potton. The Times, 20th December 2008 Gavin & Stacey's Family Reunion Ruth Jones and James Corden, creators of 2008's surprise Bafta-winner, tell The Telegraph why good-natured comedy is back. Written by Michael Deacon. The Telegraph, 19th December 2008 Named 3rd best show of 2008: The sitcom about two ordinary households has made its creators household names. Last year, James Corden and Ruth Jones wrote and starred in a little-watched BBC3 series documenting the ups and downs of a young couple and their families. This year, it won them two Baftas. And rightly so, for its wit, perceptiveness and warmth. The second series, shown in spring, was just as funny but even more moving. Ahead of the much-anticipated Christmas special, the big success story of BBC3's comedy output is promoted to the heady heights of BBC1 for a welcome repeat of the just-as-good-as-the-first second series. The more people that see this show the better, as it's absolutely stonking, with Ruth Jones and James Corden's scripts hitting the right note between sweet and subversive. If there's one criticism, Gavin and Stacey themselves take a back seat for much of the series, but blame the writers for creating such a lovable and well-drawn group of characters. Brilliant. Everything you need to know about... Gavin & Stacey A beginners guide to the series from The Independent. The Independent, 21st November 2008 There's still no official word on whether Ruth Jones and James Corden will be able to find time in their fantastically busy schedules to write series three. The series about how a nice boy from Essex and a sweet girl from Barry in south Wales fell in love and married has been an astounding success and won a stash of prestigious awards for writers James Corden and Ruth Jones, who also star in the show as Smithy and Nessa. The Daily Express, 21st November 2008 BBC3's smash-hit comedy is finally promoted to BBC1. Ahead of this year's Christmas special, here's a re-run of series two, first shown in March. Having scored a massive success with their first series, writers/stars Ruth Jones and James Corden were under immense pressure to create an even better follow-up. This they did with almost annoying ease: witness this opening episode in which, for ten minutes, almost nothing happens. This is fine because the characters are so warm and so funny, it's a joy to spend time with them. And later, as the family reconvene in an Italian restaurant, there's some beautifully orchestrated hysterical farce as the secret of Nessa's pregnancy slowly leaks. Jack Seale, The Radio Times, 21st November 2008 Series two of the Bafta award-winning comedy gets a repeat (it was first shown on BBC Three) to take us up to the Christmas Special, which is sure to be a highlight of the festive season. The writers James Corden and Ruth Jones - who also play Gavin and Stacey's best friends Smithy and Nessa - have created such a tight but wide-ranging cast of characters, each loveable in their own way, that it's always a pleasure to meet them again. Nessa, in particular, is brilliant - hard as nails and with a thousand past lives, including driving for The Who and founding the girlband All Saints. One thing she hasn't done, though, is have a baby, and her pregnancy is revealed to a shocked Smithy tonight. No longer just the big gobby sidekick, Ruth Jones is a sharp comic talent who is popping up all over our screens. Written by Jasper Rees. The Times, 16th November 2008 It's been a heady year for James Corden - a hit sitcom, a rising celeb profile and a rackety night life. Easy to become a bit of a prat, he tells The Guardian - which is why he means to concentrate on the good stuff. Written by Simon Hattenstone. The Guardian, 8th November 2008 Brit-Com Gavin and Stacey Arrives on Our Shores An American article talking about the show arriving in America, complete with a glossary of terms that American viewers might not get (e.g. "it's well nice" = it's very nice) BuzzSugar, 26th August 2008 An American paper reviews Gavin & Stacey as it makes its debut on BBC America. Written by Mary McNamara. Los Angeles Times, 26th August 2008 A profile of Gavin and Stacey writer and star James Corden Written by Robert Hanks. The Independent, 26th April 2008 James Corden seems to think he's a comedy genius The Guardian's Gareth McLean continues his war of words with the show by claiming James Corden has an over-inflated ego and is an ungracious winner. Written by Gareth McLean. The Guardian, 24th April 2008 The actor who plays Gavin in the show talks to The Mirror. Apparently in real life he would fancy Nessa more than Stacey. Written by Beth Neil. The Mirror, 23rd April 2008 I don't mind new writers and actors being given breaks, but couldn't they be honest about it? Gavin & Stacey is described as a comedy drama. Which is similar to describing George W Bush as warmongering christian (which he is, but that's not the point). Posing as a comedy drama while hidden away on BBC Three gives the series an excuse to neither be funny nor dramatic while building an unwarranted 'cult' following. The past few years have been like a sitcom desert in British TV land. I seriously can't remember one sitcom I've actively made an effort to watch from start to finish. To my surprise, Gavin and Stacey has filled that void. We're more than halfway through the latest series of Gavin and Stacey and so far, hardly anything has actually, you know, happened. But that's all to the good, because I reckon this is the funniest, most warm-hearted sitcom on telly for ages. Okay, it's lighter on storylines but now this sitcom delivers glorious set-pieces to compensate. Yet it never tips over into cheesiness - thanks mainly to a lake of smut bubbling below the surface. Radio Times, 30th March 2008 The idea of two people meeting, falling in love and getting married isn't a theme we don't know inside out but this works thanks to wonderful writing and a cast of highly talented people who seem to fit perfectly in their roles. Rob Brydon's Bryn is wonderful and his love of James Blunt ("the one about the wise man by the sea") really made me laugh. A confession, for I have clearly sinned - if only critically: I've never reviewed Gavin and Stacey for the simple reason that I am not as in love with it as everybody else seems to be but don't hate it enough to rustle up any vitriol either. The first series of Gavin and Stacey was a fairly low-key affair: a BBC3 sitcom about an Essex boy and a Welsh girl falling rather sweetly in love, with the comedy left mostly to their families and respective best friends, Smithy and Nessa (James Corden and Ruth Jones, the show's writers). Before long, though, that same low-key series started to win one entirely justified award after another. Gavin and Stacey, back for its second series on BBC Three, continues to pose the question: who are the real stars of this thing? The pair were back from their honeymoon in Greece. It was "nice". But who wanted to hear about that when Stacey's friend Nessa still hadn't told Gavin's friend Smithy that she had his bun in her capacious oven? Mathew Horne and Joanna Page play the nominal leads with such Christ-like modesty that one feels vaguely aggrieved on their behalf that the best lines are written for Smithy and Nessa by the very actors who play them. The Custard TV, 16th March 2008 |
