Gavin and Stacey cast missed out on paydays by agreeing to star in sitcom

'Gavin and Stacey' cast members missed out on big paydays when they agreed to star in the comedy.

The first series of the beloved sitcom aired on BBC Three back in 2007 and the tight budget meant that the stars didn't earn as much cash as they could by working on other shows, which meant that co-writers Ruth Jones and James Corden had to provide quality scripts.

Corden said: "We felt if we wrote parts that were good enough, we might be able to entice them to do it because they're certainly not going to be doing it for the money."

James explained that getting Alison Steadman on board as Pam Shipman would allow the programme to be made by convincing other actors that the show had credibility.

The 46-year-old star said: "When we wrote it we really set out to write Pam for Alison.

"If we could get Alison to do the show, then other actors would think it's legit.

"Then it was about trying to get Rob Brydon to do Bryn."

The sitcom ended with James and Ruth's respective characters Smithy and Nessa finally getting together and the pair believe it was the perfect way to bring the comedy to a close.

Speaking in the BBC documentary 'Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell', Corden said: "Probably from the first Christmas special that we did, when Dave (Coaches) proposes and Smithy says, 'Don't marry him', from that minute on it felt like they had to end together.

"And that's what he says in the last scene, 'I know it's messy and not perfect, but that's because we're messy and not perfect'."

Ruth, 58, added: "When Smithy and Nessa got together, that really is the end, because we can never see them actually together. Seeing Smithy put the bins out, it just won't work."