James Corden thinks this Gavin and Stacey episode is ‘very, very, very bad’

James has admitted there’s one episode of Gavin and Stacey he thinks is ‘awful’ (Picture: BBC) Gavin and Stacey is one of the most beloved sitcoms and TV shows of all time. The show follows a young man from Essex, the titular Gavin, falling in love with Stacey, a woman from Wales and the ensuing chaos when their friends and family are thrust together. To say the series is popular would be an understatement. The final episode alone was watched by nearly 20 million people, shattering TV viewing records. Yet it turns out not everyone is a fan. Specifically, James Corden, who co-created the series with Ruth Wilson. According to Glouchester Live, James, who was attending the BBC Comedy Festival in Liverpool, admitted there’s one episode he can’t stand. Specifically, the 47-year-old believes the second episode of the first series was a ‘very, very, very bad half hour.’ James said this while at the BBC Comedy Festival in Liverpool. (Picture: James Stack/BBC/PA Wire) So what’s the problem? Well, he thinks they ‘backed themselves into a corner’ by having Gavin propose to Stacey at the end of episode two. To make matters worse, he believes that neither he nor Ruth had the confidence yet to let th characters do the heavy lifting. Gavin and Stacey is an iconic sitcom (Picture: Baby Cow) ‘We were conscious of this half-hour comedy thing, and I don’t think we trusted that actually the characters would be the thing that would be funny,’ he said. ‘We tried to instead say we needed something funny in the scenes, so we had Gavin jump the barriers when proposing, and be covered in lasers. In our head, we were making a sitcom, but we weren’t; we were making a character-driven story.’ What happens in Gavin and Stacey Season 1, Episode 2? After a misunderstanding over the phone, Stacey refuses to talk to Gavin, forcing him to travel to Barry to make up with her. Stacey then goes to stay at Gavin’s for a couple of nights, and the episode ends with him proposing to her at the station. That said, James does believe the episode has its strengths, specifically the introduction of Dawn and Pete Sutcliffe, played by Julia Davis and Adrian Scarborough. James isn’t alone in hating the episode. On Reddit, MyManTheo wrote: ‘Oh, I absolutely despise the ending to that episode.’ Another agreed writing: ‘Yeah, me too. It’s easily the weakest episode, but it’s just a vehicle to set everything else up.’ The show came to an end in 2024(Picture: BBC/ Baby Cow) Others, however, felt people were being a bit harsh. ‘Ep2 was always going to feel meh after the first one,’ said qsk8r. ‘But it fits naturally with the chain of events required to move things forward.’ Bay_de_Noc, however, gave the most balanced commentary, agreeing that the misunderstanding wasn’t very good,’ but they went on to add. ‘The scene when Gavin goes to Barry, and everyone is out on the doorstep talking, and Stacey comes out and runs into Gavin’s arms, and Bryn says: “She never says he was a Jehovahs.” Makes me laugh every time I hear it.’ Gavin and Stacey is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. Got a story? If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you. Deals of the Day K-beauty is taking over skincare in 2026 – and this new serum is leading the way The best outdoor candles to buy now for alfresco dining and bug-free nights This tablet recreates the feeling of writing on paper – without the mess Shopping for new bedding? Simba Sleep’s latest launch has options for every sleeper Buy one, get 50% off – stock up on SPF for less with iHerb's limited time deal Arrow MORE: Gavin and Stacey star reveals why she made husband dig up dead dog’s bones TV Newsletter Sign up and tell us which TV shows you love to watch to get personalised updates every morning.