Gavin & Stacey star Larry Lamb speaks out on BBC comedy return

Gavin and Stacey star, Larry Lamb, has dashed the hopes of fans by announcing that there will never be a reunion. The 79-year-old, who played Gavin’s dad Mick Shipman in the hugely popular BBC comedy programme, appeared on ITV talk show Loose Women today (March 18).

The show’s panellists, which included Lamb’s on-screen daughter-in-law Joanna Page - who plays Stacey Shipman, were keen to ask the actor the question on everyone’s lips - will Gavin and Stacey return? Speaking to Lamb specifically, they asked him whether he could ever see himself back as Mick.

Seconds after Larry arrived on the show, Page asked him: "Do you ever think there'll be any more Gavin and Stacey?" Lamb gave a very definitive and upsetting answer. "Definitely not," he said.

The audience, reflecting the feelings of TV viewers no doubt, let out an audible gasp. He went on to clarify his feelings, however, and perhaps offered a little bit of hope. He said: "Right now, I'd say not. But I'm not very good at gambling..." He also described it as a "very memorable thing" when they realised how big the programme would be.

Although Lamb didn’t seem to see any possibility of their being any more Gavin and Stacey episodes in the future, he did say that he and the other cast members still have a WhatsApp group chat. He did admit: "It's pretty sparse," before Page said, "But every now and then something goes on." Lamb agreed and said: "Every two or three months and something will come out."

Lamb also revealed that he hadn't seen the majority of the cast, minus Alison Steadman (who plays his on-screen wife Pamela Shipman) and Page, since the last episode of the show in 2019. The show was brought back for a Christmas special, and ended on a cliff hanger when Nessa (Ruth Jones) proposed to Smithy (James Corden).

Fans have been calling out for another episode of the show since the, desperate to know whether or not Smithy accepts Nessa’s proposal. There have been many rumours about a reunion, but fans have been kept guessing for more than four years now as there has never been any official confirmation as to whether or not the show will ever return.

Lamb and Page’s comments come after their co-star Steadman said she would be willing to film a new episode or series of the hit sitcom. Speaking previously to The Mirror, Alison said: "If we did another series or episode, I would absolutely love it.

“But at the moment, as far as I know, it's not going to happen. None of us have been sent scripts, none of us, so until there's something definite and it's announced, then I'm not going to go along with anything, it might not happen. It's all up in the air."

Creator Jones, who wrote the show with Corden, also shut down speculation that a "bidding war" was ongoing between Netflix and the BBC.