From bumper cars on Barry Island to the vibrant nightlife of Cardiff, Wales has been central to the success of Gavin & Stacey.
The show’s strong connection to Welsh culture has made it a hit across the UK, but nowhere is it more beloved than in Wales.
BBC viewing figures reveal that 59% of the Welsh population tuned in to watch the Christmas Day finale, compared to just 32% in the rest of the UK.
In Wales, fans are also twice as likely to re-watch the episode. Across the UK, 4% have watched the finale more than once, but in Wales, that figure jumps to 8%—equivalent to 245,000 people.
Laura Davenport, 39, from Barry and founder of Scoop ice cream store, is on her fifth viewing of the finale.
For her, the love for Gavin & Stacey is no surprise. Having grown up in Barry, where much of the show is set, Laura said the characters feel like family.
“People may not like to admit it, but we all see a bit of ourselves in the characters,” she explained. “Everyone knows a Gwen, who’s particular about everything, or a Nessa, the person you’d call in a crisis.”
Laura believes no other comedy show captures Welsh life as authentically.
“It was the perfect ending, especially with the thank-you message to the people of Barry.
I was bawling my eyes out on Christmas Day.”
Parent blogger Cathryn Scott, 46, who grew up near Gwen’s house in Barry, agrees. She believes the show resonates because it portrays the everyday life of south Wales with honesty and charm.
“Too often, a Welsh character is the punchline,” she said. “Gavin & Stacey is different—the Welshness is integral to the whole thing. It captures the crossover between Welsh and English culture perfectly, something many can relate to.”
Cathryn, who considers herself a “real-life Stacey” since she’s married to an Englishman, said her daughter recently studied the show for GCSE Media Studies.
The WJEC exam board uses Gavin & Stacey to explore the representation of Wales in media.
“I was so proud when my daughter got full marks,” she laughed. “I was blown away that it’s being studied at GCSE. I remember when it was just a little BBC Three show no one had heard of.”
Linda Bailey Dale-Greaves, who runs the Gavin & Stacey tour bus around Barry and the Vale of Glamorgan, said people love the show because it’s filmed in Wales.
“Especially the people of Barry—they really appreciate it,” said Linda, who has hosted the tours for 14 years. She revealed that many fans are surprised to learn how much of the series was filmed in Wales, with locations like Mick and Pamela’s house actually in Dinas Powys and the Southampton docks finale shot in Newport.
Linda even acted as an extra in the finale and often jokes with fans that she’s Nessa’s second cousin—something many of them believe.
For Linda, the show’s humor is its secret ingredient. “It’s tongue-in-cheek, with Welsh banter and accents that people absolutely love.
I’ve watched it four times already, and I’m sure people will keep talking about it for years to come.”
With 8.7 million views across the UK, Gavin & Stacey remains BBC Wales’ best-performing single programme ever.
Its honest portrayal of Welsh life and relatable characters have cemented its place in pop culture history.
For fans like Laura, Cathryn, and Linda, the show isn’t just a sitcom—it’s a reflection of home. And in the words of Nessa… “Oh, what’s occurin’?” Quite a lot, it seems.
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