BBC Gavin and Stacey fans divided over finale's twists and shock split

Gavin and Stacey fans have been left divided after watching the finale on Christmas Day.

The BBC show featured shocking romances and splits, and marked a conclusion of the story after the 2019 Christmas special which ended on a cliff hanger when Vanessa 'Nessa' Jenkins, played by Ruth Jones, proposed to James Corden 's character Neil 'Smithy' Smith.

The special got off to a great start as viewers were left in hysterics when Nessa lit up one of her trademark cigarettes and a vape at the same time.

Fans of the hit sitcom loved seeing the BBC bend the rules, and show the character smoking in order to pay homage to Nessa's long-standing nicotine habit, reports the Mirror.

One fan wrote: "Not me wondering if they’d sensor Nessa’s smoking in the big old year of 2024, only for them to have her swinging between a vape AND a cigarette #GavinAndStacey." While another said: "PLEASE Nessa vaping and smoking at the same time she’s literally just a girl #GavinAndStacey."

Another joked: "Nessa was always going to be smoking a cig and vape at the same time #GavinAndStacey." Another fan commented that Ruth's character had become iconic due to her behaviour. One penned: "Nessa vaping and smoking at the same time. my queen forever. #GavinAndStacey."

One unexpected romance between Stacey's mother, Gwen West - who had long faced challenges in love - and Dave Coaches surprised not only the viewers but also the show's characters, especially Bryn. The pair revealed they had been secretly dating for six months.

Another shocking moment occurred when Smithy proposed to Nessa, resolving the cliffhanger from the 2019 special and leading to their wedding. This followed Smithy’s friend Gavin, portrayed by Mathew Horne, intervening to prevent Smithy from marrying his girlfriend Sonia - a match up that had initially disappointed fans.

The 90-minute Christmas episode also saw Sheridan Smith return as Smithy's sister Rudi, while Adrian Scarborough and Julia Davis returned as Pete and Dawn Sutcliffe, now portrayed as a separated couple.

The show concluded with Nessa and Smithy tying the knot. As fans took to twitter to share their thoughts on the gripping episode.

One user happy with the way the finale ended wrote: "There will never be a better show than Gavin and Stacey. thanks for all the laughs and happy memories, you’ll be missed!”

Whilst another said: "That was the most perfect way to end Gavin + Stacey. Tonight I’ve laughed. I’ve cried. And everything in between. Ruth Jones, Nessa, and James Corden, Smithy, said at the premiere that the show’s all about the emotions of love and everything in between - tonight showed that." A third expressed: "SOBBING at gavin and stacey it’s about bloody time nessa and smithy ffs heart is healed finally." And a fourth wrote: "GAVIN AND STACEY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL YOU WERE EVERYTHING I WANTED AND MORE."

But some fans were disappointed, taking to Twitter to express their thoughts, with one fan writing: "Gavin and Stacey finale was proper average." A second wrote: "Gavin and Stacey was predictable, "while a third penned: "Sorry but that Gavin & Stacey ep was cr*p." And a fourth added: "Question those that enjoy Gavin and Stacey. That felt rushed and a out dragged obvious ending.."

This might not be the end, as Ruth Jones and James Corden have announced a 2025 project following the Gavin and Stacey finale. The duo is co-authoring a new book titled When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between: A Story of Love and Friendship. Set to hit bookstores in autumn 2025, the book will detail their journey in creating a comedy that captured the hearts of a nation.

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Following the announcement of their book deal, Ruth and James shared with fans: "We're so excited to be sharing the story behind the story of Gavin and Stacey. The show has played a huge part in our twenty-five-year friendship and we hope this book will give readers a fresh insight into how it all came about."

"Gavin and Stacey is a TV series like no other. Now, for the first time, its creators James and Ruth tell the full extraordinary story of how they turned their little show into a full-on cultural phenomenon," the book's publisher Penguin added in its description of the upcoming book.

"As they recount the rejection, obstacles and challenges they faced on the way to giving birth to their beloved comedy creation, James and Ruth also explore the flourishing of their own real-life friendship. While their now legendary on- screen characters Nessa and Smithy had a profound awkwardness to negotiate, culminating in that marriage proposal in the 2019 Christmas special, Ruth and James forged a magical relationship of mutual support based also on a deep, shared sense of subversive fun.

"Here, from their tentative initial pitch to the emotionally overwhelming final day of filming, the duo detail what’s occurred every step of the way, bouncing off each other in inimitable style. Full of revelations and never-before-heard stories, this is a one-of-a-kind book about a show that’s already gone down in history."

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