Gavin & Stacey: the very important reason why the Christmas special is Brexit-free
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- Hannah-Rose Yee
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As 2019 draws to a close and the beloved television series returns to screens, star Ruth Jones has explained why there’ll be no politics in the new episode.
If you’re already dreading spending Christmas lunch dodging Brexit arguments with your family, never fear: the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special is officially a politics-free zone.
Speaking to Sky News, star and creator Ruth Jones has explained why she made the decision to write Brexit out of the much-anticipated Christmas special television episode. “There’s no mention of Brexit in the show. And I think that’s as it should be,” she said. “It’s nice to have a little sanctuary in amongst it all, a little oasis in amongst everything else.”
There’ll be no mention of television or politics when the one-off silly season special episode airs on Christmas Day this year. Instead, the show will hope to foster festive good vibes and general cheer and warmth, in keeping with its 25 December air date.
“When the first series came out, there was a lot of very dark comedy around, and Gavin And Stacey was the opposite,” star Matt Horne added. “It was very idealistic and warm with lots of pathos as well as laughter. I think sociopolitically at the moment this is exactly what we want. We don’t mention Brexit at all, which I think is just what everybody needs.”
The plot of the new episode is being kept tightly under wraps, although the BBC has confirmed that all the main cast members have returned and that the episode will take place over a Christmas dinner in Cardiff between the Shipman and West families.
It’s been 10 years since the series was last on our screens, and since then stars James Corden and Rob Brydon have become household names both here and, in Corden’s case, the US. (As well as the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special, Corden is starring in the musical adaptation of Cats. Is his performance in that a cat-astrophe, or does it work? Read our Stylist Under Her Eye review to find out.)
“We just sort of slotted back into working together really, like we hadn’t been away,” Jones said of her co-star and co-writer. “We’re just really childish together, we just get back into the groove.”
One thing that didn’t make the cut into the Christmas special, though, was a mooted storyline that involved infidelity and divorce. Appearing on The Graham Norton Show on 20 December, Jones explained that she considered writing the plot before jettisoning it in deference to the festive season.
“We toyed with the idea of Gavin having an affair or Gavin and Stacey divorcing,” Jones said. “But we really wanted to hold onto the heart of the original show, and I hope we’ve done it.”
Not long now until we find out. The Gavin & Stacey Christmas special airs on BBC One at 8:30PM on Christmas Day.
Images: BBC