'I wanted to be Al Pacino'

Rob Brydon on why he almost turned down Gavin & Stacey

As Gavin & Stacey comes to an end, Rob Brydon tells how his role is ‘especially sentimental and heatfelt’, shares his admiration for James Corden and Ruth Jones’s scripts, and describes how he nearly didn’t play Uncle Bryn as he feared he was too close to his previous character, minicab driver Keith Barrett.

How did it feel when you received the final script and what was your initial reaction?

Well, from knowing it was happening, there was quite a long wait to get the script and we were all sent it on the same day. We have a WhatsApp group, and the group just became such a buzz of people being blown away by the script.

I hadn't read it because I was running around somewhere, so I was a little bit later to read it, but I was also blown away and absolutely loved it. It actually moved me to tears, you know, as I was reading some of it out loud to my wife, and my eyes sort of caught my voice, as it were. when reading it. So I thought it was just superb.

In 2007 the first episode aired, can you remember what it was like to be a part of the show in those early years?

At the beginning, it was new and I knew the script was really good, then as we acted it and we filmed it, you thought, everybody's really good in their parts. You never know how it's going to be received, but it was very enjoyable for my own part.

I mean, Bryn changed a bit, I don't know if it's perceptible to the viewer, but in my head, he did. I was a lot more invested in it from the second series, when I saw the possibilities for the character at the end of the first series.

What is your earliest Gavin & Stacey memory?

Well, my earliest Gavin and Stacey related memory is sitting on a bench at Manley Beach in Sydney, Australia. I was over there filming a series I did called Supernova for the BBC and James was there, he was doing The History Boys World Tour, and I was umming and ahing about doing Gavin and Stacey, because I thought there were some similarities between Bryn and Keith Barrett. And at that point, I still harboured dreams of being Al Pacino, you know, and playing this wide range of parts. James and I sat together on the bench and talked about the show and that’s my first clear memory of Gavin and Stacey.

Do you have a favourite Bryn moment from the entire series?

Well, that's really hard. I mean, it's not quite in tune with everything else, but I still love the scene in the back of the wedding car with Joanna Page reading the letter from my brother Trevor. But in terms of the out-and-out comedy, there are so many moments, the barn dance was great fun.

Fans are going to see a glimpse behind the scenes with an accompanying documentary. What was that like to film?

I think they'll show everybody's guard was down because they were around so much. So you will get a real feel of what it was like making this special, it was just wonderful and I know actors always say this, but we do all love each other.

We all just adored being in this series and we were very aware that this was the last time. So I think the documentary will capture that. I mean, I can't wait to watch it myself.

What does Gavin & Stacey mean to you?

It means a huge amount to me. Of the roles I've played it is the most recognisable role. It's probably the most loved project of anything I've ever done, and it just seems to grow in the time from finishing the series to making that first special, it just grew. So it means a huge amount to me.

Also, because of James and Ruth, I was at school with Ruth, so it's especially sentimental or heartfelt, you know, acting with her in it. And I've known James for a very long time, I knew him when he was unknown. I adore both of them. So it's probably the project that's closest to my heart of all the ones I've done.

Why do you think the show continues to be so popular with audiences?

I have a theory that it's a little bit like friends as you like to spend time with the characters, even when you know what is going to happen.

I think that it's beautifully written with such great economy and clear definition of the characters. Each character, even the peripheral characters like Dave Coaches, Dawn, Pete and Doris, are all perfectly drawn. And I've always said that you feel that, each character could sustain their own show.

Did you sneak any memorabilia home with you from set?

I've basically taken all of Bryn’s clothes. I'm always asked for donations for charities and things, so I've got suits and jumpers and cardigans. I've got the apron from when he cooked Christmas dinner on the last special. I've got all sorts. So keep your eyes on charity auctions near you!

How did it feel to be on set for the last time with everyone?

Hugely emotional, and it would hit me at times when we were filming big scenes with lots of people.

We do a fair bit in Pam and Mick’s house, and just seeing everybody there, I would find myself filling up with tears just looking at them. That might sound a little bit overly dramatic I suppose to some people, but you have to understand that it's been 17 years. That's a long time.

Joanna Page didn't have any children when we started doing this, and now she's got more than she can count. So it was just wonderful. It really was. It was just wonderful, and unlike anything else I've ever done.

• Gavin & Stacey: The Finale will air at 9pm on Christmas Day and the behind-the-scenes documentary Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell will air at 7pm on New Year’s Day, both on BBC One and iPlayer.

Gavin and Stacey final episode