Corden and his co-creator Ruth Jones — or Smithy and Nessa to some — were emotional waving goodbye to their enduringly popular sitcom, which aired its final episode on Dec. 25.

James Corden wanted to "trick everybody" with the plot line of Gavin and Stacey's final episode. The hit show returned to screens with a new festive special on Christmas Day, five years after the 2019 special ended on a cliffhanger that saw Nessa (Ruth Jones) get down on one knee and propose to Smithy (Corden).

EXCLUSIVE: James Corden credits the roaring success of his show Gavin & Stacey to how the story portrays relatable love between normal people, similar to millions of people up and down the country

On Thursday, Corden, who watched the Gavin and Stacey finale on Christmas Day with Ruth, shared behind-the-scenes photos from the set, including one of himself and Mathew Horne, who plays Gavin, holding hands in bed together.

The BBC can breathe easy into its festive leftovers, after all the hype, cross-promotion and marketing paid off – with the finale of long-running comedy Gavin and Stacey winning the UK’s top Christmas Day audience.

Gavin and Stacey made a grand return to our screens last night (25 December) in a Christmas special that tied up a lot of loose ends. Fans of the drama will remember that back in 2019, viewers were left on a major cliffhanger when Nessa (Ruth Jones) asked Smithy ( James Corden) to marry her.

JAMES Corden has shared unseen behind-the-scenes photos from Gavin and Stacey, after gaining an emotional response from fans following the Christmas Day finale. The Gavin & Stacey Christmas

Sheridan Smith has reportedly axed plans to release a tell-all book about her life and relationships after reuniting with ex-boyfriend James Corden on Gavin and Stacey

Gavin and Stacey fans will finally learn the fate of Nessa and Smithy in tonight's Christmas special episode, following a five-year wait after her shock proposal.