James Corden has ‘flown to the UK to watch Gavin and Stacey Christmas special with his family’

The hotly anticipated special is set to air on Christmas Day.

And actor James Corden has ‘flown back to the UK to watch the new Gavin and Stacey episode alongside his family’, reports the Sun.

The star, 41, wrote the script in LA with co-star Ruth Jones, 53, and announced the project earlier this year.

Getting ready: James Corden, 41, (pictured with wife Julia Carey) has ‘flown back to the UK to watch the new Gavin and Stacey episode alongside his family’ on Wednesday night

It is thought that James, his wife Julia Carey and their three children have all returned to England for Christmas and the special. 

Speaking to the Sun, James said he doesn’t get lots of attention for his role as Smithy when at home in America and has found it difficult to sense how excited people are.

He said: ‘It’s [the excitement for the show] hard for me to gauge, I feel so far away from it. We’ve made this show, I just want people to enjoy it and I hope they do. 

‘I hope generations of families will sit down together and enjoy it for many different reasons.’

Reprise: The actor, pictured, will play his character of Smithy in the hotly anticipated episode

Reprise: The actor, pictured, will play his character of Smithy in the hotly anticipated episode

It comes after James revealed that the long-awaited Christmas special was saved after he and Ruth Jones wrote the ‘best scene ever.’

The Late Late Show host told The Sun that they decided to scrap the script they’d secretly written in LA, it was brought back to life after an idea ‘landed in the room.’

Speaking on Radio 2, James explained that he and Ruth met last year to try and write something new for Gavin and Stacey, but after writing 40 pages they agreed it wasn’t good enough. 

Excited: James (pictured with the cast) has previously said that the show has possibly the 'best scene Gavin & Stacey has ever had'

Excited: James (pictured with the cast) has previously said that the show has possibly the ‘best scene Gavin & Stacey has ever had’

He said: ‘We decided, ”OK, well, thank goodness we didn’t tell anyone. Thank the Lord we didn’t. We’ve scratched this itch that we thought was there, and it isn’t, so no harm done. No one will ever know”.’

James then revealed that the Christmas special finally came together after an idea for a scene just ‘landed in the room.’

‘It’s probably the quickest scene we’ve ever written. And I think it’s the best scene Gavin & Stacey has ever had,’ he added.

Tough: James explained he and Ruth met last year to try and write something new for Gavin and Stacey, but after writing 40 pages they agreed it wasn't good enough

Tough: James explained he and Ruth met last year to try and write something new for Gavin and Stacey, but after writing 40 pages they agreed it wasn’t good enough

‘Suddenly this scene arrived, I can’t tell you, I sound like Mystic Meg, but it landed in the room.’

James was tight-lipped about the nature of the scene, although co-star Mathew Horne hinted on Radio 2 that it involved himself and Joanna Page, as he said it was the first scene they filmed when production began on the special.

And ahead of the show airing on Wednesday, Ruth Jones defended the word ‘f****t’ being used in the special where the characters perform a rendition of Fairytale of New York.

Script: Original cast members such as Joanna Page and Mathew Horne, who play the title characters, will all star in the special

Script: Original cast members such as Joanna Page and Mathew Horne, who play the title characters, will all star in the special

The highly anticipated episode sees Ruth’s character Nessa and Uncle Bryn (Rob Brydon) sing The Pogues’ popular Christmas song with the co-creator saying they were remaining true to the characters. 

The song’s lyrics: ‘You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap-lousy f****t’ have proved controversial with calls for the homophobic slur to be censored from the track. 

However, Ruth told The Sun that while the Christmas special is being shown in a ‘different climate’ to the original series which wrapped in 2010, she felt she was staying true to who the characters are by keeping the song uncensored. 

Song: Ruth Jones defended the word 'f****t' being used in the special where the characters perform a rendition of Fairytale of New York (pictured on stage with Rob Brydon)

 Song: Ruth Jones defended the word ‘f****t’ being used in the special where the characters perform a rendition of Fairytale of New York (pictured on stage with Rob Brydon)

She said: ‘It is a different climate. But we have to remain true to the characters, to who they were. 

‘Characters in Gavin & Stacey are kind and big-hearted, I believe. So I think no one is going to be intentionally hurtful.

‘But by the same token, they’re not necessarily going to be completely politically correct or be aware of political correctness.’

Gavin and Stacey returns on Christmas Day (Wednesday) at 8:30pm on BBC One. 

Christmas special: Ruth said that while the Christmas special is being shown in a 'different climate' to the original series which wrapped in 2009

Christmas special: Ruth said that while the Christmas special is being shown in a ‘different climate’ to the original series which wrapped in 2009 

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