Gavin & Stacey stars share memories of Doris actress ahead of final episode

Joanna Page and Ruth Jones paid tribute to the late actress in an interview with Alex Jones for the new BBC Sounds special, Barry Island Discs.

Page said: "Working with Maggie John has got to be one of the highlights of Gavin & Stacey.

"I just love how her character got bigger and worse and saucier and sexier as the series went on."

Jones also revealed: "I do remember when we were casting Gavin & Stacey and we had this character of Doris, the next-door neighbour who was a little bit rude.

"Chris[tine] Gernon, our director, said, 'I know exactly the actress to play that part - it's Maggie John.'"

Page continued: "From, I think, the first series, I always remember filming it because it was my first scene as well.

"Getting off the bus, walking across the road and going 'Alright Dor?' and then she gives me advice on what I should be like when I travel up to London to see Gavin, and she gives me a little bit of saucy advice.

"From that moment I just thought, 'Oh my god, this woman is just so hilarious and lovely and brilliant.'"

Doris was in plenty a hilarious scene in Gavin & Stacey, not least the christening of Neil the baby, where she flexed her drumming skills to Bryn's (Rob Brydon) rendition of (Something Inside) So Strong.

The scene was made evermore funny by the fact that Doris's drumming was totally offbeat, only adding to the ludicrousy of it all, and it turns out it was "one of the best filming days ever", according to Page.

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She went on: "I remember sitting in the pews and laughing all the way through and just desperately trying to keep it together.

"Because you had Uncle Bryn going for it with a song that you never, ever really hear at a christening, and then you had Maggie, the wonderful Margaret John, who was on the drums, and we loved Maggie so much… but she was very nervous and she couldn’t get the timing."

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that the final ever episode of Gavin & Stacey will be airing on Christmas Day.

The synopsis for the anticipated episode reads: "It’s five years since we left Nessa down on one knee declaring her love for Smithy and asking him to marry her. And a lot has happened in those five years.

"In Barry, Bryn’s packing the Picasso in readiness for a trip to Essex, Stacey and Gavin are looking for new ways to spice up their 17-year marriage, and Gwen is behaving most strangely.

"Nessa’s started a new business venture and Neil the baby’s about to begin an apprenticeship with his dad.

"Over in Billericay, Pam is stressing out at the prospect of playing hostess, not helped by a newly retired Mick practicing his golf swings in the living room, and there have been more ups and downs in Pete and Dawn’s relationship.

"Join us on the journey to Barry and Billericay as we catch up with the Shipmans and the Wests for the very last time, and maybe find out what exactly did happen on that fishing trip."

Gavin & Stacey returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Christmas Day at 9pm.

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