Larry Lamb has revealed the lie he told Ruth Jones when she asked him if he would be available for Gavin and Stacey’s reunion.
The beloved BBC comedy returns for the final episode on Christmas Day after Ruth and co-creator James Corden wrote the finale in secret.
Larry, 76, who plays Gavin’s father Mick, told how Ruth, 57, called him out of the blue to tell him about the meeting.
Larry, who appeared on Friday’s Loose Women show with his son George, 44, said: “I was sitting at a station, in the pouring rain. The phone rang and it was Ruth.
‘I was wondering what he was calling. “You are alone?” I lied and said “Yes.” She basically told me: “Will you be free this time for the end of the year?”
Larry Lamb (centre right) has revealed the lie he told Ruth Jones when she asked him if he would be available for Gavin and Stacey’s reunion (LR Kaye Adams, Kelly Holmes and George Lamb)
The beloved BBC comedy returns for the final episode on Christmas Day after Ruth and co-creator James Corden secretly wrote the finale (Larry pictured with co-stars Matthew Horne and Alison Steadman).
Larry, 76, who plays Gavin’s father Mick, told how Ruth, 57 (left), called him out of the blue to tell him about the meeting (pictured with James Corden).
“She said, ‘Looks like we’re going to get the green light for a new deal coming up again.’
‘I said, “Another big finish?” And she said yes.” I bet that has a cliffhanger at the end too.
Larry appeared on Loose Women in April with Gavin And Stacey co-star Joanna Page and denied a reunion was taking place, saying “definitely not” when asked if there would be more episodes.
When asked why he lied, Larry said, “My career was pretty risky.” He was hanging from the rope. Things come to light, there are party spoilers everywhere. Imagine what it will be like when we start making that script.
“I bet we get together and read it and they take it down, and scene by scene they spread it.”
Ruth, who plays Nessa, and James, who plays Smithy, secretly reunited to write the special after recently denying that another episode was in the works, almost five years after the last episode aired in 2019.
On Instagram, the couple shared a black and white photo of themselves holding the script.
Along with the post, they wrote: ‘Some news… It’s official! We’ve finished writing the latest episode of Gavin and Stacey. See you on Christmas Day, BBC One. Love Ruth and James!’
Larry said: ‘The phone rang and it was Ruth. ‘She I was wondering what she was calling her.’ “You are alone?” I lied and said “Yes.” He basically told me: “Will you be free this time for the end of the year?”
Ruth and James secretly reunited to write the special after recently denying that another episode was in the works, almost five years after the last episode aired in 2019.
The couple wrote: ‘Some news… It’s official! We’ve finished writing the latest episode of Gavin and Stacey.
Joanna, who plays Stacey, shared the photo of James and Ruth on her Instagram and wrote: ‘OMG it’s happening! Very excited! The latest Gavin and Stacey! Christmas Day @bbcone Can’t wait to start filming!’
Joanna also shared a statement with ITV’s Loose Women which read: “I’m so excited for Gavin and Stacey to return and I can’t wait to come back and tell you all about it.”
The actress also revealed that she “can’t wait to find out what happens next” on the BBC show, as she doesn’t know what happens after the 2019 Christmas cliffhanger when Nessa proposed to Smithy.
Speaking on BBC Sounds’ Off The Telly podcast, Joanna said: “I’m so excited to see the gang again and start filming, and I can’t wait to find out if Smithy has said yes.” I can’t wait to find out what’s happening to everyone!
‘I’m going to have to keep that script out of your (Natalie’s) little clutches, but yeah, we’re going to be able to review it on our show at Christmas and I’ll be really mad if you don’t sit down at Christmas. Day looking at me!’
Matthew Horne, who plays Gavin, seemed excited about the reunion as he shared the photo of Ruth and James holding the new script and wrote: “Merry Christmas.”
It was previously reported that a new episode of Gavin and Stacey was in the works, but Ruth Jones denied this.
Reports circulated online claiming the cast was set to film a new episode over the summer with the plan to air it at Christmas, five years after a dramatic cliffhanger.
The critically acclaimed series follows the lives of the two 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.
US departure Deadline reported that the new special is currently in the development/pre-production stages and will be produced by Steve Coogan’s Baby Cow, Jones’ Tidy Productions and Fulwell 73, which is co-owned by Corden.
But Ruth insisted the speculation was “sadly a rumour” during an interview on Irish broadcaster RTE Radio 1.
When asked about the reports, he said: “Apparently there’s a bidding war between the BBC and Netflix and I love it because it says ‘a source says’, who is this source?”
Ruth added: “Unfortunately it’s a rumour… All I can say is that if there was something to say about it, James and I would be happy to announce it, we would.”
The actress said she thought the rumors arose after she was photographed having lunch with Corden a few months ago, after he returned to the UK after living in the US.
“Then the next thing is ‘Oh my god, they should be writing more Gavin and Stacey,’ which is lovely,” he said.
“It’s wonderful that people are so desperate about it because imagine if it was the complete opposite and they said, ‘Oh God, you’re not bringing that back.'”