Welsh actress Joanna Page has shared the hilarious story of when she first read Gavin & Stacey: The Finale script. For nearly 20 years, the Swansea actress has been bringing smiles and giggles to many fans as she starred as Stacey in the BBC’s comedy series Gavin & Stacey.
This year, the actress alongside the stellar cast of the show will be saying their goodbyes in the last ever episode, which will be aired at 9pm on Christmas Day (Wednesday, December 25). In the lead up to the big finale, the beloved cast have been sharing their thoughts on the final episode, as well as what the series has meant to them over the last 17 years. For the latest TV & Showbiz news, sign up to our newsletter.
Ahead of the finale on Christmas day, Joanna revealed she first read the script for the final episode in a unlikely location. When asked how did it feel when she received the final script and what was her initial reaction, she said: “It was really exciting when I received the script. I was driving home from another job and I pulled into the services.
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“I was standing and waiting at the counter for a burger, and I looked down at my phone and suddenly it came up and I thought, oh my God, I’ve got this thing on my phone which loads of people here in the service station would love to see! I got in the car and ate my burger and read the first half of the script. Then I thought, I better move on to another services before I get a parking fine.
“So I drove on to the next services, and then I carried on reading the rest of the script. I was just voice noting Ruth [Jones], who was sending messages to James [Corden] with me, going, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe this!’ and ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe that!'”.
During the Q+A, the actress then went on to discuss what it was like to be a part of the show in the early years, her earliest memories, as well as what the show meant to her. She explained that the show had “always been there” for her and that her character was “so close to [her] heart”. She also noted the significance of having a Welsh TV show about Welsh people.
In a special interview with the BBC, Joanna Page (pictured far right) explained she received the script for the final episode while at a service station -Credit:BBC/Toffee International Ltd./Tom Jackson
She said: “Gavin and Stacey means so much to me, because it was the job that got me known as an actress. So it’s done a lot for my career which is amazing but aside from that, it means so much to me because I started on it when I was 29 and I made lifelong friends.
“I got to act in a show which is so well loved by people, and a show that I’ve enjoyed acting in. It’s taken me all the way through my life. I started out at 29 and now I’m 47 and I’ve got four kids, all of the stuff that I’ve gone through in my life, Gavin and Stacey has kind of always been there. I also thought it was lovely, because it really put Wales on the map.
“There hadn’t been a show that was Welsh, with Welsh characters, I’ve never seen anything like that. So to be a part of that, and Wales becoming like the trendy thing and people embracing all of us that was just so huge. Stacey is so close to my heart, and she’s just become a part of me, and I’ve loved playing her, and I don’t feel sad that I won’t play her again, because I feel that she’s so much a part of me anyway, that she will always be with me. What I do feel sad about is that I won’t ever be able to act with all of the rest of the cast in those circumstances again. It’s been such a huge part of my life, and I feel so proud of it, I just feel really lucky to have been a part of it. “
Joanna Page will be joining co-creators and stars of the show Ruth Jones, who plays her on-screen best friend Nessa, James Corden who plays Smithy, as well as her on-screen husband Mathew Horne who plays Gavin. The last time we saw the couple, during the 2019 Christmas special, they had become parents to three children – Harri, Megan and Caitlin.
The fab four will be joined by the rest of the beloved cast, including Stacey’s uncle – Uncle Bryn, played by Rob Brydon, Stacey’s mum Gwen, played by Melanie Walters, Stacey’s brother Jason, played Robert Wilfort, Stacey’s parents-in-law, Pam played by Alison Steadman, and Mick played by Larry Lamb, as well as their good friends Pete, who is played by Adrian Scarborough, and his long-suffering wife Pam played by Julia Davis.
It has also been confirmed that Steffan Rhodri will be reprising his role as Dave Coaches and Sheridan Smith will be reprising her role as Smithy’s sister – Ruth or ‘Rudi’. You can find out more about air date, run time, trailer cast update, plot and everything else you need to know here.
Gavin & Stacey: The Finale will be aired on Christmas Day at 9pm on both BBC One and BBC iPlayer.