In 2010, former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott ventured into television with a cameo appearance on Gavin and Stacey.
The late Deputy Prime Minister, who passed away on Wednesday night at the age of 86, played a memorable role in the third season of the popular BBC show, which featured Nessa walking down the aisle to marry Dave Coaches—watched by several of her former lovers in the church.
In the original BBC series, which aired from 2007 to 2010, Ruth Jones’ character, Nessa Jenkins, frequently reminisced about her romantic encounters with celebrities, including Nigel Havers, members of the Welsh comedy hip-hop group Goldie Lookin’ Chain, and even, Mr Prescott.
Nessa often hinted at the Labour politician being a former lover, even expressing regret that he wasn’t the father of her baby when she became pregnant.
The politician shared his thoughts on his blog at the time, writing: “I’ve got to say I thoroughly enjoyed my cameo in Gavin and Stacey.
“I’d heard about this running joke about me and this woman called Nessa in the series. Ruth (Jones), who plays Nessa, got in touch and asked if I’d be a sport and play a part.”
Reflecting on his character’s storyline, Mr Prescott added: “As for Nessa, I suppose I have to accept it appears I’ve lost out to a better man.”
Nessa frequently joked about her past lovers, and when referring to her fling with Mr Prescott, she quipped that he gave her “full use of one of the Jags”—a nod to his well-known fondness for the car.
The press had dubbed him “two Jags” due to his ownership of a personal Jaguar alongside his official government vehicle, a nickname that gained traction while he was encouraging the public to reduce their car journeys.
Gavin and Stacey featured Mathew Horne and Joanna Page as the titular young couple, who fall in love despite living in different locations – one in Essex and the other in Wales.
Larry Lamb and Alison Steadman portrayed Gavin’s parents, Mick and Pam, while Melanie Walters played Stacey’s widowed mother, Gwen, and Rob Brydon starred as her Uncle Bryn.
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The show returned in 2019 for a one-off festive episode, which ended on a cliff-hanger when Nessa proposed to Neil “Smithy” Smith, played by James Corden.
Jones and Corden, the creators and writers of the series who also play the best friends of the title characters, announced its return in May, revealing a script titled Gavin and Stacey: The Finale.
The episode is set to air on Christmas Day 2024.
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