Gavin & Stacey

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Gavin & Stacey
Also known as	Gavin and Stacey
Format	Comedy-drama
Created by	James Corden Ruth Jones
Starring	Mathew Horne Joanna Page James Corden Ruth Jones Larry Lamb Alison Steadman Rob Brydon Melanie Walters
Opening theme	"Run" by Stephen Fretwell
Country of origin	United Kindom
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	16 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	James Corden Ruth Jones Ted Dowd Henry Normal Lindsay Hughes Jane Harrison
Producer(s)	BBC Baby Cow Productions
Camera setup	Film, Single camera
Running time	13x 30mins 1x 60mins 2x 8mins
Broadcast
Original channel	BBC Three (Series 1-2) BBC One (2008 christmas special)
Audio format	Stereo
Original run	May 7, 2007 – present
Chronology
Related shows	Horne & Corden
External links
Official website

Gavin & Stacey is a BBC sitcom written by and co-starring Ruth Jones and James Corden and produced by Baby Cow Productions. The titular characters are played by Mathew Horne and Joanna Page.

The first series (six episodes) chronicled the developing romance of the two leads and ended with their marriage. The second series (seven episodes) began with two back-to-back episodes on 16 March 2008 on BBC Three.^[1] Both series originally aired on BBC Three and were later shown on BBC Two and BBC One; the Christmas special was aired on the latter channel.

Although the series is set in Billericay, Essex, and Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, the two series were shot largely in Cardiff but also in Barry itself and the surrounding area, including Dinas Powys, Sully and Penarth.

Contents 1 Characters 1.1 Main characters 1.2 Other characters 2 Awards 3 Ratings 3.1 Series Three 4 Music 5 Overseas 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Characters

[edit] Main characters

• Gavin Shipman (Mathew Horne) - Gavin is 26 and is an only child who lives with his mother and father in Billericay, Essex. His best friend, Smithy, with whom Gavin plans to drink every variety of beer in the world, lives just down the street. He is a supporter of Tottenham Hotspur F.C. (as is Mathew Horne) and is often seen wearing his Spurs shirt.

• Stacey Shipman (née West) (Joanna Page) - Stacey is 26 and is from Barry, near Cardiff. Her father, Trevor, died three years ago, and she lived at home with her mother in Barry until her marriage. She has been engaged six times but married only once, to Gavin. She confides frequently in her best friend, Nessa.

• Neil "Smithy" Smith (James Corden) - Smithy is Gavin's friend, and they've known each other since primary school. He loves Gavin's parents more than his own, who are never seen in the show. He has an unseen girlfriend called Lucy, who, according to Smithy, is seventeen years and three quarters old. He loves unusual beer, paintball and West Ham United. When Nessa gives birth to their son, they name him Neil after himself and Nessa's father. He is very possessive in his friendship with Gavin, to the extent that he expected a text from him every day of Gavin and Stacey's honeymoon and his emotional incapability to deliver his best man's speech.

• Vanessa "Nessa" Shanessa Jenkins (Ruth Jones) - Nessa is Stacey's best friend, also from Barry. She discovers she is pregnant in the fourth episode of series 1, and it is later revealed that Smithy is the father. She speaks fluent Italian and Welsh, has several tattoos, is a chain smoker (until her pregnancy) and was one of the original members of All Saints (but didn't get along with Shaznay). She works at the Barry Island Amusement Arcades or "The Slots". Nessa regularly recalls strange and often lewd experiences with celebrities (John Prescott is mentioned several times, as is Dodi Al-Fayed), and to a lesser extent she talks about various life experiences she has had, such as travelling the world on a cruise ship, briefly waking up after her first marriage with an unspecified Pip (of Gladys Knight fame) and dealing with the death of her second husband, Clive, who was executed by firing squad for drug running after she gave evidence against him. She gives birth to baby Neil in the Series Finale of Series 2. Nessa became engaged to Dave Coaches, her boyfriend, in the 2008 Christmas Special.

• Michael "Mick" Shipman (Larry Lamb) - Mick is Gavin's father. He is 53 and a down-to-earth guy, like his son. He's happy with his life - running his own company, playing golf and going to the pub quiz every Tuesday. He is something of a calming influence on his wife.

• Pamela "Pam" Andrea Shipman (née Griggell-Eschefska) (Alison Steadman) — Pam is Gavin's proud and doting mother. She is in her early fifties, typical of the Essex wife stereotype and is very house-proud. She is also very caring of Smithy, Gavin's best friend, and treats him as if he were her own son. Pam wrongly feared that Stacey's family may be vegetarian so pretended to be vegetarian also, despite frequent cravings for meat. It is later revealed in the 2008 Christmas Special that all of Stacey's family (plus Nessa and possibly Dave) knew Pam was not vegetarian - with the exception of Gwen, who had bought Pam a vegetarian cookbook for Christmas. Pamela adores Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and acts out sexual fantasies of Charles and Camilla with Mick. Conversely, she hates Princess Diana.

• Bryn West (Rob Brydon) - Bryn is Stacey and Jason's uncle. He is the brother of Stacey's deceased father, Trevor, and is single in his late forties. He lives across the road from Gwen and Stacey and is very protective of them. Bryn has a strained relationship with his nephew Jason due to an unspecified incident on a fishing trip. In Series 2, Bryn often inadvertently makes comments suggesting he may have homosexual leanings. He is a simple man who leads a very simple life and often gets excited about trivial things such as his Sat Nav and the Internet.

• Gwen West (Melanie Walters) - Gwen is Stacey's mother. She is a widow in her late forties, a housewife, and regularly offers to cook omelettes. She shows a dislike towards English singer James Blunt when Bryn sings his songs Wisemen and Goodbye My Lover, saying his lyrics don't make sense.

• David "Dave" "Coaches" (Steffan Rhodri) - Bus driver in Barry and Nessa's fiancé (engaged in Christmas Special). Aspersions are made about his sexual health in Series 1, although it is revealed in Series 2 that he has been to "the clinic". He is the only person, other than Bryn and Jason, who knows what happened on the fishing trip.

[edit] Other characters

• Dawn (Julia Davis) and Pete Sutcliffe (Adrian Scarborough) - Friends of Pam and Mick Shipman. They have a very strained marriage and regularly insult each other in public. Also part of the ongoing joke that characters share their surnames with serial killers - in this case Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper.
• Doris "Dor" (Margaret John) - Gwen's elderly next door neighbour, she has a daughter named Moira, who she never got on with. Doris spotted the unfortunate coincidence of sharing the West and Shipman surnames with serial murderers Fred / Rose West and Harold Shipman. She has also offered herself up to Gavin for 'discreet' extramarital relations.
• Dick Powell - (Gwynfor Roberts) The only exclusively Welsh-speaking inhabitant of Barry. Sells satellite navigation systems and enjoys Glamorgan sausage sandwiches.
• Ruth "Rudi" Smith (Sheridan Smith) - Smithy's sister, likes to be also called Smithy trying to imitate her brother.
• Jason West (Robert Wilfort) - Stacey's elder brother, son of Gwen and her late husband, Trevor. Lives in Spain with his boyfriend, José.

[edit] Awards

Gavin & Stacey has won 5 awards out of 10 nominations in total, two of which were won at the British Academy Television Awards 2008.^[2]

Awards & Nominations:

Date	Awards Ceremony	Award Category	Nominee	Result
20 April 2008	British Academy Television Awards 2008	Best Comedy Performance	James Corden (Smithy)	Won
		Sky+ Audience Award	Gavin & Stacey	Won
26 April 2009	British Academy Television Awards 2009	Best Comedy Performance	Rob Brydon (Bryn West)	Nominated
5 December 2007	British Comedy Awards 2007	Best New British TV Comedy	Gavin & Stacey	Award Won
		Best Male Comedy Newcomer	James Corden (Smithy)
		Best Female Comedy Newcomer	Ruth Jones (Nessa)
		Best New TV Comedy	Gavin & Stacey	Nominated
		Best TV Comedy Actress	Ruth Jones (Nessa)
		Best Male Comedy Newcomer	Mathew Horne (Gavin)
		Best Female Comedy Newcomer	Joanna Page (Stacey)
5 December 2008	British Comedy Awards 2008	Best TV Comedy	Gavin & Stacey	Award Won

[edit] Ratings

Episode (series 1)	Premiere Date	No. of viewers
Series 1 Episode 1	13 May 2007	543,000[3]
Series 1 Episode 2	13 May 2007	588,000[3]
Series 1 Episode 3	20 May 2007	550,000[4]
Series 1 Episode 4	27 May 2007	557,000[5]
Series 1 Episode 5	3 June 2007	544,000[6]
Series 1 Episode 6	10 June 2007	569,190
Episode (series 2)	Premiere Date	No. of viewers
Series 2 Episode 1	16 March 2008	1,894,000[7]
Series 2 Episode 2	16 March 2008	1,869,000[8]
Series 2 Episode 3	23 March 2008	1,480,000[8]
Series 2 Episode 4	30 March 2008	1,799,000[9]
Series 2 Episode 5	6 April 2008	1,601,000[10]
Series 2 Episode 6	13 April 2008	1,401,000[11]
Series 2 Episode 7	20 April 2008	1,354,000[12]
Episode (series 3)	Premiere Date	No. of viewers
Series 3 Episode 1	Late 2009	TBA
Episode (specials)	Premiere Date	No. of viewers
Christmas Special	24 December 2008	7,190,000[13]

On 25 December 2008, a documentary "12 Days of Christmas" was screened by BBC Three. It followed the making of the Christmas episode, and was shown in two versions, one of 30 minutes ^[14] and one of 45 minutes^[15].

[edit] Series Three

There was uncertainty over whether a third series would be produced. The writers said that they did not want the show to become predictable, and that they would see how the Christmas special turned out.^[16]

In December 2008, Corden revealed he didn't know whether the sitcom would return for a third series, as he is currently working on the US adaption with Ruth Jones.^[17] Shortly afterwards, Ruth Jones announced on her final BBC Radio Wales Sunday Brunch radio show. Towards the end, she asked James Corden if they should do another series to which he replied "I'm in if you are", shaking hands and promising the audience that they would.^[18][19] A third series was confirmed by James Corden on the BBC website.

Ruth Jones and James Corden are expecting to finish the scripts for the new series by the end of March, with filming for the third series taking place in the summer.^[20]

On Loose Women on Tuesday 10th March, Ruth Jones confirmed she had finished writing the first two episodes of the series. She also stated that Series 3 would definitely be the last series of Gavin and Stacey. ^[21]

When accepting her award at the Welsh BAFTAs on the 17 May 2009, she announced that she and Corden had just completed writing the last episode of series three and that they were 'very sad'.

Filming is currently underway for the third series of Gavin and Stacey, as confirmed by Rob Brydon's twitter page.

[edit] Music

The credits theme to Gavin & Stacey is "Run", by Stephen Fretwell.

The Libertines single "Don't Look Back into the Sun" was used repeatedly throughout the two series.

The music used during the wedding ceremony in the climax to the first series is Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol.

For Gwen's birthday barn dance, Bryn and Nessa do a duet of "Islands In The Stream". They would later release it as a single for Comic Relief.

[edit] Overseas

NBC planned to make an adapted American version of Gavin and Stacey. In a television interview, Ruth Jones commented that the American version could have Gavin coming from New Jersey and Stacey from South Carolina.^[22] Now, ABC is developing the potential series. [2], [3]

In Ireland, the show began airing on RTÉ Two on 3 July 2008.

In New Zealand, season one began playing on TV ONE on 27 June 2008.

In Canada, the series is airing on BBC Canada.

In the United States, Gavin and Stacey premiered on BBC America on 26 August 2008, series one and two were shown back to back.

Season Two of Gavin and Stacey is currently playing on RTP2 in Portugal.

In Israel, the series is airing on Yes Stars Comedy.

In Australia, the first episode was aired on the Seven Network and affiliates in New South Wales and Queensland only on 14 February, 2009. Yet, was dropped from the schedule after only one screening.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Gavin & Stacey at BBC Online
• Gavin & Stacey Fansite
• Gavin & Stacey at the Internet Movie Database
• Gavin And Stacey at British TV Comedy
• British Comedy Guide
• Radio Times - Gavin and Stacey
• Gavin & Stacey Fansite
• James Corden & Matthew Horne Fansite

Videos

• Behind the Scenes on Gavin & Stacey - BBC Three on BBC YouTube channel

v • d • e Gavin & Stacey Main characters Gavin Shipman · Stacey Shipman (nee West) · Smithy · Nessa · Bryn West · Gwen West · Pam Shipman · Mick Shipman Episodes Series 1 · Series 2 · Series 3 Regular cast James Corden · Mathew Horne · Joanna Page · Rob Brydon · Alison Steadman · Larry Lamb · Melanie Walters · Ruth Jones See also Other characters · DVD releases · Baby Cow Productions

v • d • e Media in Cardiff Television and film studios BBC Wales • ITV Wales • S4C • BAFTA Cymru • Dragon International Film Studios Television series and films Doctor Who (2005–) • Torchwood • The Sarah Jane Adventures • Caerdydd • Gavin & Stacey • Human Traffic • Tiger Bay Press Western Mail • South Wales Echo • Y Dinesydd • Gair rhydd • Buzz • Metro • Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies Radio BBC Radio Wales • BBC Radio Cymru • Red Dragon FM • Gold • Real Radio • Xpress Radio • Radio Cardiff