Gavin and Stacey star not allowed at cast parties and forced to stay in separate hotels

• TV
• Gavin and Stacey

Laura Aikman appeared as Smithy's nasty bride-to-be in the Gavin and Stacey Christmas special, but she had to keep her distance from her co-stars for a crucial reason

Gavin and Stacey star Laura Aikman had to stay away from her castmates.

The 39-year-old actress played Smithy's fiancée Sonia in the final ever episode of the beloved BBC sitcom, which aired on Christmas Day. But her appearance in the Christmas special was top secret; she didn't even tell her family about it.

Laura, who first appeared back in Gavin and Stacey as Smithy's girlfriend in 2019, had to go to extreme lengths to keep her return a secret. This apparently meant staying in different hotels to her castmates and not attending parties with them.

According to BBC broadcaster and TV critic Scott Bryan, stayed in different hotels to keep things under wraps. Scott tweeted: "Sonia (Laura Aikman) stayed in different hotels than the crew to protect the plot. She didn't even tell her parents she was in it, who are tuning in to the finale tonight alongside her."

Poor Laura couldn't attend parties with the cast and had to stay in separate hotels so that nobody found out about her role as Smithy's bride in the Christmas special(Image: BBC)

Laura herself shared a video of the sweet moment her shocked parents finally realised she was appearing in the finale, writing: "The moment my family realise Sonia is ruining Christmas again..." In the clip, her mum cried: "Oh my God?! What? You never told us!".

Laura replied: "We never told anyone!" She added: "I take an NDA very seriously."

Director Christine Gernon also revealed Laura was "hidden away" and couldn't even come to wrap or screening parties for the special. She said: "@Lauraikman spent the whole GandS shoot being hidden away.

The last ever episode of Gavin and Stacey aired on Christmas Day (December 25)(Image: PA Media)

"Staying in a different hotel, not allowed to come to wrap or screening parties so no-one knew Sonia was back. Such a great reveal. And she's amazing as both actor and person."

Fans were shocked when it revealed Sonia was set to marry Smithy instead of Nessa, with one fuming: "I heard the whole UK gasp!" as another said: "Gotta deal with the insufferable Sonia on Gavin and Stacey AGAIN?!"

Laura had to keep away from Rob Brydon, James Corden and the rest of the cast - and didn't tell her family about her return to the series(Image: BBC)

But in the end, Smithy ended up ditching Sonia at the alter after realising it was Nessa who he wanted to marry. After he hitched a ride from Dave's Coaches and got down on one knee right before she left Barry for good, Ness finally said yes.

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