Bringing Gavin and Stacey back is a "great move" by co-creator James Corden and will "boost" his profile, a PR commentator has suggested ahead of it being released.
The BBC sitcom returns for its "finale" on Christmas Day, after an almost five year absence following the last festive special in 2019. The upcoming episode was announced by co-creators James, 46, and Ruth Jones, 58, back in May.
Fans have been waiting for an update on the characters following a cliffhanger. Vanessa 'Nessa' Jenkins (played by Ruth) proposed to Neil 'Smithy' Smith (James), but viewers didn't get to see his response to the proposal at the time.
The 'finale' comes after it was announced just last year that James - who had been the host of the Late Late Show - was returning to the UK after having lived in the US for eight years. Earlier this month, there was speculation in the Daily Mail that bringing Gavin and Stacey back was one of a few things "guaranteed" not only to "be a hit" but also "catapult him back into the limelight" as part of his comeback.
The Mirror spoke to PR specialist and talent manager Carla Speight about the show's return. Asked if the timing of the show's return seemed more than a coincidence, she told us: "This is a great move for [James] to remind us why the nation loved him, but it goes far beyond just James. Gavin and Stacey is a well-loved classically British show with a highly demanded comeback. The 'did they, didn't they' ending was long overdue being answered."
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Ian West/PA Wire)Carla also addressed James having faced controversy in recent years, including allegations of rude behaviour. One director branded him the "most difficult and obnoxious presenter" last year, for example.
Carla said: "From a PR standpoint, this is going to go well for James and the rest of the cast. At one point, it felt like James was on every show, in every film, and we couldn’t escape him, leaving him open to scrutiny.
"He's not the first celeb to have a bad day and come off as rude. But because it was the opposite of the clumsy, happy go lucky James Cordon we'd all gotten to know in almost every aspect of our lives, we felt let down badly."
Discussing the prospect of the Christmas special being a vehicle for James to relaunch his career in the UK, Carla said: "The reality is that James doesn't need Gavin and Stacey to rebuild his career. He's hugely successful with a wide variety of top-tier credits on his CV; he's got such in-depth industry knowledge that he could do anything he wants. He's also made enough money to retire and enjoy the life he's built with his family, but this move proves he's not ready to retire anytime soon."
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James Watkins/BBC/PA Wire)Carla commented ahead of the episode: "Just like the rest of the cast, Gavin and Stacey coming back for this special will, of course, boost James' profile back into public favour. They're all going to benefit from this Christmas special.
"But for James, this would have taken bravery to do. He's opening himself up to scrutiny, and like everyone who's faced the wrath of the public, he will be feeling it more than the rest of the cast. They've rallied around him, and collectively, they're giving the public what they want."
The commentator added: "If he wasn't in the show, then it would be noticed. He had to do it; if he didn't, he would have cemented the accusations of obnoxiousness. it would have come off like he feels he's too big for it now."
Further sharing her thoughts, Carla suggested: "Ultimately, I think the show Gavin and Stacey has a special place in his heart, and he's put aside any worries and decided to put his pals and the fans ahead of all the salacious gossip. I don't think he's had a hidden agenda, but the outcome of this will be very good for him and the rest of the cast and we'll no doubt be seeing a lot more of all of them."
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