James Corden and Ruth Jones thank Barry Island's residents in the most AMAZING way as Gavin and Stacey filming continues
15 July 2019, 15:11 | Updated: 15 July 2019, 15:16
Smithy and Nessa gift the whole street a delicious treat to thank local fans for their love and support
Gavin and Stacey fans were left gobsmacked when the show's stars James Corden and Ruth Jones bought free ice cream for a whole street in Barry Island to thank local fans for their support.
As the cast and crew descended on the small town in South Wales to shoot scenes for the Christmas special, residents were delighted to be treated to Mr. Whippy's by the award-winning co-writers who play Smithy and Nessa in the beloved British series.
Hiring a local van and pinning a note to the menu, the comedy duo wrote: "Thank you for all of your support, it means the world to us. See you on Christmas Day! Enjoy! James Corden + Ruth Jones."
Taylor Jones, 23, from Cwmbran, was visiting Barry to catch a glimpse of the famous cast as they reunited for the first time in 10 years.
She told Wales Online: "We just came down to see the filming and the ice cream pulled up and one of the guys from the set said James had paid for free ice cream for everyone.
"There was a sign signed by James and Ruth. There wasn't much going on with the filming so I think that's why they did it. There was quite a few people getting ice creams, probably a hundred people or possibly more.
"I thought it was really nice of them to do that, everyone is loving them being down here and everyone is enjoying it, something like that coming to Wales."
The heartwarming gesture came as a surprise to Welsh residents, who were later moved back from the set as vans and screens blocked their view.
It seems as though the production team were trying to keep the festive storyline top secret – a decision which has been backed by cast members Mat Horne and Larry Lamb who both kept tight-lipped about the plot during recent interviews.
Larry, 71, who plays Mick Shipman, kept things vague and told Loose Women the latest instalment of the story made him cry, whilst Mat, 40, who plays Gavin, would only reveal his character is now a "dad with an almost grown up child" who is "a little bit tired".
James and Ruth have given fans a tiny taster of what's to come though, explaining: "Over the last 10 years we've talked a lot about Gavin & Stacey - where they might be today and what their lives might look like."
They continued: "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.”
Gavin and Stacey will be returning to screens this Christmas Day on BBC One.
