As the countdown to Christmas continues, there's one thing people simply can't wait for - the highly anticipated Gavin and Stacey Christmas special.
The whole cast of the smash-hit show - including James Corden, Ruth Jones, Matthew Horne and Joanna Page - are returning to our TV screens after ten years off air. And star of the show Alison Steadman has revealed having everyone back together felt like a "family reunion".
But, despite the joy involved in the reunion, Alison - who plays Gavin's mum Pam Shipman - admitted there's huge pressure involved in rebooting a show as popular as Gavin and Stacey.
The 73-year-old told OK!, "It was brilliant. It was so good to be back on Barry Island! I really was quite nervous about it because expectations are so high. I thought, Can I do it again?
READ MORE: JAMES CORDEN SICK WITH NERVES ABOUT CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
"Can I get the character back properly? But as soon as we were all back together it was just like a family reunion. At the end we were all really sad to say goodbye."
One of the questions Alison gets most often is how like her character Pam she is in real life. But the star confessed there's not much in common.
"I’m not like Pam at all but I love playing her. People send me pictures of Pam saying, ‘Oh My Christ!’ and ‘Oh my Christmas!’ My sons love Gavin & Stacey."
Fans rejoiced when it was announced that Gavin and Stacey would be returning for a one-hour festive special this Christmas. But co-creator James Corden was sick with nerves about the comeback.
James - who hosts The Late Late Show in America - reportedly told the audience, "This is it now, we go on another break and I’m going to start this on Monday morning – this new Gavin and Stacey Special.
“Or as me and Ruth Jones say ‘We start this new Gavin and [pretends to throw up]’, just out of nerves.”
But, he and fellow creator Ruth said it's been a "joy" to "bring the characters back together".
Announcing the one-off special, the pair said, “Over the last ten years we’ve talked a lot about Gavin and Stacey – where they might be today and what their lives might look like. And so in secret we took the plunge and wrote this one hour special.
“We’ve loved revisiting Barry and Essex again and bringing the characters back together has been a joy. We’re so excited to get the chance to work with our fabulous cast and crew once more and to give fans of the show a festive treat this Christmas. Thank you BBC for helping to make this happen.”
We can't wait!
