The Strictly Come Dancing Final was abruptly paused on Saturday evening for a “world exclusive” announcement.
Claudia Winkleman presented alongside Vanessa ‘Shanessa’ Jenkins, also known as Nessa and portrayed by Ruth Jones, from the beloved sitcom Gavin and Stacey, who was ready to announce the terms and conditions for home voters.
Following the presentation of the voting guidelines, a global debut of the trailer for Gavin and Stacey: The Finale lit up screens, sending BBC viewers into a frenzy. The one-time special is set to air on Christmas Day, marking the final reunion for the ensemble cast.
X, formerly known as Twitter, saw an outpouring of excitement from fans. One viewer exclaimed: “The #strictly final was brilliant + then they give us Nessa + clips of Gavin+Stacey + made it more brilliant.”
Another excited fan watching at home tweeted: “gavin and stacey christmas special trailer i am so up. actually crying #strictly.”, reports the Mirror. A third tweet read: “Having ar Nessa on for the TandCs in the finale being just Nessa with the Gavin and Stacey Finale following was so special, I’m so excited yet upset Gavin and Stacey is sadly finishing :(“.
Toward the end of a fierce Strictly battle, where contenders JB Gill, Tasha Ghouri, Sarah Hadland, and Chris McCausland vied for the Glitterball trophy, this heartwarming news broke.
“It was really emotional,” said the actress reflecting on the experience. “We had the best time, it was lovely. We all really enjoyed it. And being back in Barry, you know, everyone’s so warm and friendly, it was lovely.”
Alison then dabbed at a tear as she added: “But of course, when we finally wrapped, it was really sad. Because we think, ‘Ooh, we won’t be together again’. We were all really emotional.”
Saturday Kitchen’s wine expert Olly Smith then joked: “You’ll always all be together on iPlayer, though. We can rewatch them whenever we like”, prompting a hearty laugh from Steadman.
Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One and Gavin and Stacey: The Finale airs Christmas Day at 9pm on BBC One