Gavin and Stacey: Ruth Jones and James Corden reveal finale was going to be a film

‘Gavin and Stacey: The Finale’ was originally going to be a film.

After a five-year wait, fans will find out on Christmas Day whether or not Nessa (Ruth Jones) and Smithy (James Corden) tie the knot, following the 2019 Christmas special ending on a cliffhanger - with Stacey's (Joanna Page) best pal proposing to Gavin's (Mathew Horne) best friend.

However, the show's writers, Ruth and James, have revealed they both originally thought the upcoming finale could work as a movie.

James, 46, told Heat magazine: "[Ruth and I] got on a FaceTime and, originally, we both had the same idea, which was to do a film."

Ruth, 58, added: "I'd written down a couple of thoughts before we arranged that meeting, thinking it could be a film, and then when we got together, James said, 'I hope this could be a film.'

"And I went, 'Well, that's what I thought last night.'

"So that was quite weird."

James continued: "Then, we really played around with that idea of it being a film and wrote some of it with that in mind, but the more we wrote, we both felt the same way.

"And it shouldn't be.

"The idea of our characters blown up that big felt wrong.

"They've always been in the corner of your room, and that's where they should remain."

Ruth carried on: "I spend quite a lot of time up in the Highlands of Scotland, and I thought, 'My friends there will have to drive for two hours to get to the nearest cinema in Inverness.

"They're not going to do that."

Despite the "exciting" idea of the hit BBC One Wales-based comedy being shown on the big screen, it is the thought of families gathering around the TV in their homes on Christmas Day that means more to the pair.

James added: "A film feels exciting, but actually what you realise is, there's nothing more exciting than the collective experience of different generations of families and friends sitting around on Christmas Day.

"It's such a wonderfully British thing to do, and when we started the show 20 years ago, the idea that it would be one of those shows that has a Christmas special is far beyond anything we ever dreamt of ...

"Just the notion of BBC One, Christmas Day.

"That means so much to us."

When asked if Ruth and James will be watching the "emotional" finale on Christmas Day, James said: "We're going to try to watch it together."

Ruth added: "With our families."

James continued: "It's what we did last time.

"So, I think that's going to be very, very special."

'Gavin and Stacey: The Finale' airs at 9pm on Christmas Day on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.