EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy recently revealed that she auditioned for an iconic Gavin and Stacey role, but sadly didn’t get the role.
The actress, 41, best known for playing the character Sonia Fowler in the BBC soap, admitted she auditioned for a role alongside James Corden, 46, more than 17 years ago.
The star had hoped to land the role of Rudi, the sister of James’ character Smithy, but was rejected in favor of 43-year-old Sheridan Smith.
She has since reminded James of her audition during a special episode of her joint podcast with Joanna Page, 47, off the tv.
During the podcast, Natalia and Joanna spoke to Gavin and Stacey stars Adrian Scarborough, 56, and Robert Wilfort, 47.
However, they were shocked when Natalie revealed her link to the iconic British sitcom.
EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy recently revealed that she auditioned for an iconic Gavin and Stacey role, but sadly didn’t get the part.
The actress, 41, best known for playing the character Sonia Fowler in the BBC soap, admitted she auditioned for a role alongside James Corden, 46, more than 17 years ago (pictured, from LR James Corden, Mathew Horne, Joanna Page, Ruth Jones)
Natalie asked the couple: ‘Can I tell you a secret?’ To which they agreed and she continued: “It’s not about me, but I have a little bond with Gavin and Stacey.”
Then, surprisingly, she revealed: ‘I auditioned for the role of Smithy’s sister’ and both guests gasped when Adrian said: ‘Could you have been Rudi? Oh my God.’
Natalie confessed to having previously told Joanna her secret, but had not “told it out loud” to anyone else.
She continued: “I went up Oxford Street to Baby Cow, read with James and unfortunately it didn’t go to plan. But if.’
Once the women said goodbye to Adrian and Robert, James and the show’s director, Christine Gernon, joined them on the podcast.
After greeting each other, Natalie was quick to remind James about his audition over 17 years ago.
She told him: “I was telling Adrian Scarborough and Rob earlier how I almost played Rudi. Do you remember that, James?
James replied: ‘I know. You were there. You were the person we were thinking of. I remember talking to you on the phone about it. You would have been fantastic.
The star had hoped to land the role of Rudi, the sister of James’ character Smithy, but was rejected in favor of Sheridan Smith, 43 (pictured on the show).
She revealed on her and Joanna’s joint podcast Off The Telly: “I auditioned for the role of Smithy’s sister,” leaving Gavin and Stacey’s guests Adrian Scarborough, 56, and Robert Wilfort, 47, in a state of shock.
Competing for a future role with James, Natalie joked: “Okay.” The next comedy, right?
The critically acclaimed series follows the lives of main characters Gavin from Essex and Stacey from South Wales, documenting key points in their long-distance relationship and events that bring the two families together.
Gavin and Stacey first aired on BBC Three in 2007 and spanned 20 episodes across three series.
As well as James and Ruth, it made Mathew Horne, 46, and Joanna household names.
The ‘final installment’ will air in a 90-minute special on Christmas Day this year after fans of the show called for the story to be ended.
It comes after James and Ruth revealed that Gavin and Stacey fans will be treated to a lot more Smithy and Nessa in the final episode, reflecting that their characters’ ‘messy’ relationship is the beating heart of the BBC show.
Appearing on the podcast table manners Featuring Jessie and Lennie Ware, the actors and writing partners teased the Christmas special, saying fans will discover a lot more about Ruth’s character Nessa’s past, as well as her future with Smithy.
“Nessa has had an incredible, eventful life and you’ll find out more about that in this special – some really fun bits we wrote,” James explained.
Gavin and Stacey first aired on BBC Three in 2007 and spanned 20 episodes across three series. In addition to James and Ruth, it made Mathew Horne and Joanna household names.
Fans were horrified when the show’s previous holiday special concluded with Nessa declaring her love for Smithy and proposing to her, but her response was not revealed.
The “final installment” will air in a 90-minute special on Christmas Day at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer after fans of the show begged for an end to the story.
He reflected that the reason fans have taken Smithy and Nessa to their hearts is because ‘oOn television or in the movies, you rarely see people who look like Ruth and me and fall in love.’
‘You just don’t do it. I would leave a TV to Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones and Ruth it would be like working in a newsagent when someone buys a newspaper.
‘What I like about the show is that it’s very messy and complicated and they clearly have fantastic sex. “I really enjoy that trust.”
However, Ruth added that in the early days, the writer’s partners were unsure how to present this unique relationship, explaining: “The first time they had sex was in the first episode and I think because we didn’t quite know what It was the program.” We were probably being pretty comical about it.
“We were there, just the two of us, on that journey that had meant so much to us and I, like Ruth, was looking at my dear friend James and when I said, ‘I loved you with all my heart,’ I was speechless. I can’t tell you ( James),’ Ruth recalled.
Even though the pair now promise that the upcoming special is actually the end, there has been a flurry of speculation from fans that there could be more to come.
However, James insists this is it and gives an ominous warning to viewers when he said: ‘It can’t continue. When you see it, you will know.
Gavin and Stacey: The Finale will air on Christmas Day at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.