Gavin and Stacey at centre of bidding war as Netflix tries to steal beloved sitcom from BBC in mega-money deal

GAVIN & Stacey fans were overjoyed last night at the prospect of the classic sitcom reoccurring — after the last episode left them with a cliffhanger.

Co-writers and stars James Corden and Ruth Jones are finalising a script and have the backing of all the cast for a one-off Christmas special, The Sun can reveal.

BBC

Alamy

Sources said last night that mega-bucks streaming giant Netflix is battling to steal it from the BBC, which has aired it since 2007.

It comes more than four years after the 2019 festive special where a record 18 million viewers saw feisty Welsh trucker Nessa propose to Essex boy Smithy.

Last night a source told The Sun: “On a bleak February morning, this is the news that every Gavin & Stacey fan wanted.

“Ruth and James have always maintained they will bring the show back only if they are 100 per cent happy with the script — and they are almost there.

“They rang individual members of the cast to float the idea of a one-off special, and every single person was excited and on board.

“To be clear, no agents were called, and no one bar James and Ruth has seen the script — but there’s a lot of goodwill here.

“Obviously the show has a special history with the BBC, and this seems like its natural and obvious home. Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore has spoken to the pair and made it clear she wants the show to stay put, but Netflix have also made it very, very explicit that they want to air it.”

The streaming company’s CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters are said to be “extremely excited” at the prospect of landing the show, which is set in Barry, South Wales, and Billericay in Essex.

It is seen as a guaranteed ratings winner, and would secure a whole new audience across North America and Europe, with subtitles for the cast’s accents.

The source went on: “The provisional Netflix offer, coming as it does from a global conglomerate, dwarfs anything that the Beeb could offer — but Ruth and James aren’t about the money.

“They simply want to offer fans the best viewing experience possible, and, essentially, get as many bums on seats to watch their baby.

“It would be a huge coup for Netflix to steal this flagship British comedy from the nose of the BBC and, indeed, there may be a world in which this happens.”

Deadline — which bills itself as a “Hollywood entertainment breaking news” site — yesterday revealed the sitcom would be returning for a Christmas special.

Filming is expected to take place later this summer.

Crucially, Mathew Horne, who plays Smithy’s best mate Gavin, and Joanna Page — his wife Stacey, and Nessa’s chum — both agreed to return.

One insider said last night: “After all, you can’t just have a show called ‘Stacey’.”

Other cast members said to be on board include Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb (Gavin’s parents Pam and Mick), as well as Rob Brydon (Stacey’s uncle Bryn).

Julia Davis, who plays Pam and Mick’s friend Dawn, and Sheridan Smith (Smithy’s sister Rudi) could also return.

Record breaking

The Bafta-winning series centres on the lives and loves of the title characters and their close-knit family and friends.

After starting out as a niche BBC Three sitcom, its popularity grew via word of mouth and it shifted to BBC1, where it proved a massive success, landing a string of awards.

The third and final series ended on New Year’s Day 2010.

Should the latest one-off remain on the BBC, the corporation will be hoping for a much-needed boost after several flat festive seasons.

The most-watched show last year was the King’s Christmas message, with fewer than six million viewers, followed by a Strictly Come Dancing special which pulled in just over five million.

Gavin & Stacey’s 2019 Christmas special was the most-watched comedy in 17 years.

It ended with Nessa — famed for her catchphrases “lush” and “what’s occurring?” — getting down on one knee and asking Smithy to marry her.

The bombshell ending left fans desperate for more amid frenzied speculation of a possible outcome.

Last night an insider said Ruth and James have a “magical” conclusion in mind — but urged caution.

They said: “While this is all massively exciting, it’s important to stress that no filming dates have been set — and getting all the cast, who are incredibly busy, in one place at the same time is something of a logistical nightmare. That being said, there is so much love and loyalty from cast and crew, that there’s a sense of ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’.

“Ruth and James have thought of a pretty magical conclusion to the previous episode’s cliffhanger. So hopefully a new Gavin & Stacey will be on our screens by the close of 2024 — on the BBC or Netflix.”

Ecstatic fans welcomed the news, with one, Clare Searles, writing on X/Twitter: OH MY CHRIST . . . It’s pancake day, and they’ve announced another Gavin & Stacey Christmas special. Oh what a time to be alive.”

Another posted: “Gavin & Stacey is back? OMG SUDDENLY I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER!”

Last year James, 45, returned to the UK from LA after quitting as host of The Late Late Show.

It meant he was free to pursue new ventures — as well as get back to writing with former Nighty Night star and acclaimed author Ruth, 57.

In November, the pair were pictured walking through central London’s Soho after a reunion lunch.

Huge speculation

On Monday night, Welsh star Joanna hinted at a possible return.

She told The Sun at the TV Choice awards: “It’s going to be a really busy year.”

Asked about a Gavin & Stacey comeback, she added: “I think we’d all like that. We all had such a fantastic time, but Ruth and James are the only ones who ever know what’s going on. So if there ever was going to be another one, I think I’d hear at the same time as everybody else.”

She even speculated on what may happen with Nessa and Smithy, and it does not involve Barry or Billericay.

She said: “I think they’re probably in Spain, closely followed by Gavin and Stacey because they’re like family! That would be quite a cushy job, wouldn’t it?”