Gavin & Stacey's Ruth Jones reveals character was cut from 2024 finale

Alas, not everyone could be part of the grand finale. Doris was once again remembered fondly, following actor Margaret John's passing in 2011, while Owain Hughes (as played by Steven Meo) is another name-drop in the concluding episode.

But the character who very nearly made it back to our screens was none other than Dic Powell (Gwynfor Roberts), who was ultimately cut in a script rewrite as Jones and co-writer James Corden needed to bring the runtime down.

At a screening of the final episode, Jones recalled: "In the original script, I think we had Dic Powell at one point, didn’t we? There just wasn't room for him. God bless him... it was lovely to bring everyone back."

In the original Gavin & Stacey series, Powell was first mentioned in passing by Uncle Bryn (Rob Brydon), who describes him as the only person in Barry who actually speaks fluent Welsh – but the character didn't appear in the flesh until the third season.

Fans may remember him arriving at a sunny summer barbecue in the penultimate episode of season 3, with a freezer box full of meat to sell, causing Mick to worry about exactly where it had all come from.

With only one episode to his name, it's understandable that Dic Powell wasn't considered an essential character to make a comeback in the finale, but no doubt fans would have liked to see him one last time.

Fortunately, there were plenty more reprisals to get excited about, including Smithy's Essex-based friends (played by Russell Tovey and Samuel Anderson), plus one other return that fans have demanded since the 2019 special.

Need a recap on exactly how the finale unfolded? Check out our spoiler-filled overview of the Gavin & Stacey ending.

Gavin & Stacey is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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