Actor Larry Lamb has revealed why he lied to fans about the future of Gavin and Stacey as he shared details of the highly anticipated Christmas special

Gavin and Stacey star Larry Lamb has revealed what it was like when he was asked to reprise his role for another Christmas special.

The actor, who plays Essex-born Mick Shipman on the hit series, appeared on Loose Women on Thursday where he confessed why he lied about not knowing another episode is on the way. Gavin and Stacey creators James Corden and Ruth Jones finally confirmed the rumours were true earlier this month.They shared a snap holding up a script for a new Christmas special. James said: “Some news… It’s official!!! We have finished writing the last ever episode of Gavin and Stacey. See you on Christmas Day, BBC One. Love Ruth and James.” Before the announcement, many of the show’s stars shut down any speculation of a new episode, including Larry.

Larry appeared on Loose Women with his son George ( 
Image:
ITV)
He appeared on Loose Women a matter of days before the announcement with his on-screen daughter-in-law Joanna Page – who plays Stacey Shipman. Joanna asked him: “Do you ever think there’ll be any more Gavin and Stacey?” Larry insisted: “Definitely not. Right now, I’d say not. But I’m not very good at gambling…”

Yet Larry returned to the ITV show today where host Kaye Adams declared: “Liar, liar, pants on fire. You were here in April.” Larry revealed why he lied on the show as he admitted: “I know but my career is dicey enough, I have got enough on the line there. You say one word about this, you won’t be in any Christmas special. That would be that.”

Kaye asked: “Was it really that tight?” Larry shared: “The trouble is things get out and there [are] spoilers everywhere. I can just imagine what it is going to be like when we start doing that script and we get together and we read it. They take it back and I bet they dole it out scene by scene. Because one person goes and puts the wrong bit out online and 27 million people all miss out on the party.”

He will reprise his role as Mick Shipman ( 
Image:
BBC/GS TV Productions Ltd/Tom Jackson)
Gloria asked what his reaction was like when he finally got a call about doing the reunion, Larry revealed he was stood at a train station with his friend. He shared: “All of the sudden the phone rang and it has got ‘Ruthie’ on it. I thought, ‘Ruthie, what is she calling for?’ It was so out of context. I said ‘hello’, and she asked ‘are you on your own?’, so I lied. She just told me, ‘are you going to be free this time heading into the end of the year?’

“I said ‘why?’ and she just said ‘we are going to get a green light on a new deal. I said ‘another grand finale?’ and she said ‘yeah another grand finale’. I bet you it has got another cliffhanger at the end of that as well.” Actress Alison Steadman, who plays Larry’s on-screen wife, also kept hush on the news as she told The Mirror: “If we did another series or episode, I would absolutely love it.

“But at the moment, as far as I know, it’s not going to happen. None of us have been sent scripts, none of us, so until there’s something definite and it’s announced, then I’m not going to go along with anything, it might not happen. It’s all up in the air.”