Gavin And Stacey finale may finally solve Bryn and Jason’s fishing trip mystery
By Jordana Seal, PA
One of the biggest mysteries running through Gavin And Stacey, what happened during Uncle Bryn and Jason’s infamous fishing trip, may finally be revealed in the show’s Christmas special.
The first clips from the final episode of the hugely popular sitcom, which were shown during the Strictly Come Dancing finale, appear to centre around the main characters getting together for a weekend.
One character, likely to be Gwen, Stacey’s mum, is at the end of her tether, exclaiming: “Thirty years ago you two went on a fishing trip that almost tore this family apart.” It seems fans may finally find out why.
The hit TV series aired between 2007 and 2010, and returned in 2019 with a one-off festive special that ended on a cliffhanger, when Nessa (Ruth Jones) proposed to James Corden’s character Neil “Smithy” Smith.
The trailer aired on Saturday did not make clear whether they had tied the knot.
It showed all the recurring characters dancing and wincing after a round of shots.
Gavin and Stacey (Mathew Horne and Joanna Page), who got married in the first season of the show in 2007, are still together, and Stacey is seen cheekily whipping Gavin’s bottom.
The BBC previously said that in the 2024 special Gavin and Stacey are “looking for new ways to spice up their 17-year marriage”, and Nessa begins a new business venture.
Rob Brydon as Uncle Bryn prepares his Citroen Xsara Picasso, at Barry Island in Wales, for a trip to Essex, as his sister-in-law Gwen has been “behaving most strangely”.
In Billericay in Essex, Gavin’s father Michael “Mick” Shipman (Larry Lamb) is upsetting his uptight wife Pamela Andrea “Pam” Shipman (Alison Steadman) as she is about to play hostess.
There will also be continued marital problems for Peter Sutcliffe (Adrian Scarborough) and his wife, Dawn Sutcliffe (Julia Davis).
Stacey’s uncle, Bryn, and his nephew, Jason (Robert Wilfort), allude to the events of the “fishing trip” during the series, but all viewers know is that the two men were close before the incident and rarely spoke after it.
Before the trailer was shown, Jones appeared as Nessa during the Strictly final to explain the terms and conditions of voting for the show’s winners.
She wore clothes that seemed to be from the episodes aired in the early 2000s and told Claudia Winkleman: “I see you’re copying my hairstyle still, tidy.”
In her character’s Welsh accent, she remarked “please don’t try and vote if you’re watching on demand you’ll just make a fool of yourself”, before giving a thumbs up and casually leaving before the trailer was announced.
The show was co-created by Corden and Jones, and the 90-minute special is written and executively produced by them.