James Corden has managed to break viewing records with his beloved TV sitcom, which returned for a one-off episode on Christmas Day.
Corden, former host of The Late Late Show, is cocreator of Gavin and Stacey—which first premiered on the BBC in 2007 where it became a huge hit. He created the show with Ruth Jones, and they play Smith and Nessa respectively, a pair who have a complicated relationship.
The show follows the eponymous characters, played by Matthew Horne and Joanna Page respectively, as they fall in love and build their lives in Barry, Wales. Set in Wales and Essex, England, where Gavin hails from, the show became a hit when it was first released thanks to its humor and loving portrayal of family and friendship.
Its first three seasons wrapped in 2010, but the show returned in 2019 for its first Christmas special and ended on a huge cliffhanger where Nessa got down on one knee and proposed to Smithy.
Why It Matters
This year Gavin and Stacey returned for another Christmas episode, which was also its finale.
The episode broke ratings records in Corden's native Britain, where it brought in an average of 12.3 million viewers and was the most-watched show on Christmas Day since 2008.
Corden rose to fame in the U.K. thanks to Gavin and Stacey, but gained international prominence when became a late-night TV host in the U.S. He left The Late Late Show last year and has since focused on movie producing, acting in theater in London's West End and hosting his own podcast.
He explained the impact of Gavin and Stacey and why he believed people were sad to say goodbye to it in a recent interview.
"The more I've thought about it, I wonder if it's actually a lesson in patience," Corden told media ahead of the finale. "Particularly in television or the way that we consume stuff, we talk about content, we talk about consumers, and we talk about speed. And we've decided that speed is the single most important thing in everything that you can do."
Newsweek contacted Corden's representatives by email on Friday morning.
What People Are Saying
Fans reacted to the emotional finale on X, formerly Twitter, where they praised the episode.
"That finale was nothing short of a masterpiece. James Corden and Ruth Jones - that was tidy. Applaud yourselves 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻," wrote @blondebomber159.
"Ruth Jones & James Corden just delivered the best Christmas present ever. Exceptional TV," commented @film_lust.
"Ruth Jones and James Corden could do a masterclass in how to write the perfect finale because #GavinandStacey the finale was a TRIUMPH!! I've laughed and cried tonight. It was like saying goodbye to old friends and it's bittersweet but I am beyond satisfied. Thank you to you all," added @jax_ljones.
What's Next
One of Corden's next gigs will be to star in the 2025 title, The Smurfs Movie, alongside a star-studded cast including Rihanna and Kurt Russell.
Corden also teased that he would like to develop another TV show with Jones during an interview on Heart Radio in the U.K.
English (US) ·