MailOnline reported in February that Gavin And Stacey was at the centre of a battle between BBC and Netflix over rights to the sitcom’s return festive special.
However, on Friday, James revealed on Instagram that the 2024 Christmas special will air on BBC One with a black and white snap.
James shared a selfie of himself and Gavin And Stacey co-creator Ruth Jones holding up the special’s script which read ‘Gavin and Stacey: the finale written by James Corden and Ruth Jones 2024’.
The former late-night talk show host, 45, captioned the much-anticipated post: ‘Some news… It’s official!!!
‘We have finished writing the last ever episode of Gavin and Stacey. See you on Christmas Day, BBC One. Love Ruth and James ❤️.’
MailOnline reported in February that Gavin And Stacey was at the centre of a battle between BBC and Netflix over rights to the sitcom’s return festive special (pictured: 2019 special)
However, on Friday, James revealed on Instagram that the 2024 Christmas special will air on BBC One with a black and white snap
Fans went wild at the news, and the post now sits at almost 700,000 likes in the 13 hours its been up.
But why did James Corden and Ruth Jones turn down Netflix’s no-doubt extremely lucrative deal?
A source told The Sun: ‘They held conversations with Netflix who threw everything at them to land what is seen as a gem of British comedy.
‘James, Ruth and the team were effectively offered a multi-million pound one-off deal, and were promised it would open the show up to a whole new international audience.
‘Obviously it was tempting, but they felt Gavin and Stacey belonged to the BBC — and the nation, really. The optics wouldn’t have been great had they ‘sold out’ so they went with their hearts, not the cash.’
The source finished by saying James and Ruth are happy with their decision.
Amanda Holden led the celebrity reactions to the news, simply writing under Friday’s post ‘wtf’.
It comes after Ruth insisted back in February that the news of a reunion was ‘sadly a rumour’.
Later that same month, Joanna Page, who plays Stacey, solemnly vowed: ‘I don’t know anything at all’.
Happily brushing off the cast’s deceit, fans cannot wait to split their time once more between Essex and Barry.
James and Ruth created the sitcom in the noughties and, despite its cultural impact, it has aired just 21 episodes since its 2007 debut
James, Ruth and the team were ‘effectively offered’ a multi-million pound one-off deal, promising to open the show up to a whole new international audience, but turned it down
Previously, the series returned for a Christmas Special back in 2019, but ended on a jaw-dropping cliffhanger when Nessa – played by Ruth – got down on one knee and proposed to her on/off flame Smithy – played by James.
Elsewhere during the special fans were left more desperate than ever to find out what really happened on the infamous fishing trip.
After years of not knowing what occurred it appeared Uncle Bryn was ready to reveal what led to him and Jason falling out on the trip during the festive family gathering .
The pair were gifted with a photo of themselves together which, unbeknownst to Gwen (Melanie Walters) who gave them the present, was taken on the fishing trip.
Bryn (Rob Brydon) and Jason (Robert Wilfort) both immediately fell silent as the mysterious events of the trip came back to them.
The fishing trip has been a running gag throughout the series and was the cause of Bryn and Jason’s long-standing troubled relationship in the early episodes.
Fans thought they were finally going to get an answer to what really happened on the trip when Bryn stood up to get it off his chest, but he was interrupted by Gavin and Stacey’s children running into the room.
The fishing trip has never properly been spoken off causing fans to brand the cliffhanger as the ‘best unsolved mystery of all time’.
Fans have long hoped James’ decision to move back to the UK following his eight-year stint hosting The Late Late Show in the US will increase the chances of making another episode.
And after James was spotted meeting co-creator Ruth in London’s Soho in November 2023, speculation went into overdrive.
Previously, the series returned for a Christmas Special back in 2019, but ended on a jaw-dropping cliffhanger when Nessa (Ruth) proposed to her on/off flame Smithy (James)
