It's a big year for Christmas TV, with some major returns on the cards from the likes of Wallace & Gromit and Outnumbered's Brockman family.
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However, there is perhaps one return which looms largest of all.
That is, of course, Gavin & Stacey, which is back for its final ever episode, five years after creators James Corden and Ruth Jones left fans on tenterhooks with a huge cliffhanger ending.
Given the sky-high anticipation, that also means expectations are high. Can Corden and Jones really cap off the beloved, 17-year-old sitcom with one last hurrah, which manages to satisfy fans?
According to stars Mathew Horne and Joanna Page, that should be a resounding yes.
Speaking with this year's Christmas double-issue of the Radio Times, which is on sale from Tuesday 10th December, Stacey star Page called the episode "classic Gavin & Stacey", and said that while she would "love to come back every year", she doesn't "think there will ever be any more", and can "really see why".
Meanwhile, Gavin star Horne went even further, saying of Corden and Jones: "They have written the perfect ending."
Mathew Horne as Gavin and Joanna Page as Stacey in Gavin & Stacey. BBC
Even though the special might be "classic Gavin & Stacey", according to Page, Jones has recently said it "might not be what you are expecting".
Speaking to the Big Issue, Jones said: "I keep telling people this finale might not be what you are expecting. And I guarantee we will definitely not be coming back."
Corden added: "What people are going to see on Christmas Day is the culmination of a 20-year love story, which hopefully shows, if nothing else, that love is complicated and messy and for everyone."
Whatever happens, it's sure to be an emotional ride - Alison Steadman previously said that "90 per cent" of the cast were "in tears" on the last day of filming.
RT 2024 Christmas cover.
Gavin & Stacey returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Christmas Day at 9pm.
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
