Russell Tovey will not return to ‘Gavin and Stacey’ for this year’s Christmas special.
The BBC sitcom is heading back to our screens for a Christmas Day (25.12.19) special, but the ‘Years and Years’ star has confirmed he will not be reprising his role as Budgie because the character wasn’t written into the episode.
He said: "He just wasn’t written back."
Budgie was one of James Corden and Mat Horne’s characters Smithy and Gavin’s good pals, who also included Deano (Mathew Baynton), Dirtbox (Andrew Knott), Fingers (Samuel Anderson) and Chinese Alan (Dominic Gaskell), and Russell revealed none of the lads will be back for the festive episode.
He is quoted by The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre TV column as saying: "They didn’t bring any of the boys back."
As well as Russell, Sheridan Smith also recently admitted she is not going to be in the Christmas special.
When asked recently about her involvement, she said: "I wish. No, I’m not going to be in it, I think."
Sheridan received an OBE for her services to drama in 2015, and Prince William, who presented her with the gong, told her he is a big fan of ‘Gavin and Stacey’.
Speaking at the time, she said: "I did say I don’t feel as worthy as so many of the recipients, but thank you so much, it’s a huge honour.
"He said he’d seen some of my work, which is amazing, and was a fan of ‘Gavin and Stacey’.
"And I congratulated him on his wonderful children and he shook my hand and I was shaking – it’s all a bit of a blur. I never ever expected to get an OBE so this is absolutely indescribable."
Russell Tovey won’t be back for Gavin and Stacey Christmas special
