Rob Brydon reveals why he was initially hesitant to take on the role of Bryn in Gavin and Stacey (and who he thinks would have replaced him!)

Rob Brydon has revealed why he was initially hesitant to take on the role of Bryn in Gavin and Stacey.

The actor, 59, plays the iconic role in the BBC series which will soon be returning for a Christmas special finale.

And speaking on the Dish podcast with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett he explained why he didn't jump at the chance to be part of the sitcom.

He also revealed who he thinks they would have given the part to if he had actually turned it down.

Rob said: 'It was because the thing that changed my life, work wise, was a show called Marion and Geoff. I was a Welsh taxi driver called Keith Barret.

'He was a naive person like Bryn. He was a big-hearted person like Bryn - it's not a million miles away-from Bryn. And at that stage in my life, about 2006, 2007, I was still thinking, oh, well, you know, I've got to be… 

'I hadn't started doing Would I Lie to You? So, I was thinking, oh, but I want to be this actor who, who could play any part, and if I do this part now it's, I don't know… 

'I think I just had a day when I woke up and I went, no, I'm just going to do the things I like. And then Would I Lie to You? came along, I thought I yeah, I want to do that. 

'Also, I'd started to have my two boys, you see, after my first marriage. So, you don't want to then be away from them doing films and dramas. 'It looks glamorous, but the reality is anything but. 

'You are miles from home. You're getting up at the crack of dawn. You don't see your family. So, I wanted things that would keep me closer to home.'

He added of who he thinks would have played the part instead: 'Thank god I did. If I hadn't, could you imagine? It'd be Ben Miller, wouldn't it? It'd be Ben - I always get mistaken for Ben!'

Rob has been married twice, and has five children. He first married Martina Fitchie in 1992 and the pair share three children together - Katie, 27, Amy, 23, and Harry, 25. 

Rob married for the second time in 2006 to TV producer Clare Holland. He has two more sons with her - Tom, 13, and George, 10. 

It comes after Mathew Horne said the new behind-the-scenes Gavin and Stacey documentary catches him 'sobbing uncontrollably'.

The actor, 46, who plats Gavin, admitted the final days of filming the Christmas Special was 'intense' as they caught him at a 'particularly raw moment'.

Behind-the-scenes cameras have followed the cast around set to capture special snippets from the last episode.

Mathew said: 'Filming the documentary was intense as they caught me at a particularly raw moment. Hopefully anything with me sobbing uncontrollably will be cut.

'My expectations of the this final script were exceeded. It's nothing short of a masterpiece.' 

James Corden, who co-writes and stars as Smithy, also revealed 'there were a lot of tears' on the final day of filming which is set to air in the emotional documentary.

He added: 'The documentary is based on this idea that we just had so much footage, from our first ever day, from the first Christmas Special and from series two and three.

'For the 2019 Christmas special and this finale we had a film crew following the entire time.

'The very last thing that we shot is the very last moment of the show. There were a lot of tears that day and I hope that people that like the show will enjoy a little glimpse into it.'

Joanna Page, who plays Stacey, added: 'It was funny having the documentary crew there... you feel a bit self-conscious as there's always an extra camera there with you in quiet moments, when you're having your breakfast...

'I can't wait to watch as there are bits from our auditions. We get to see the whole 17 years, how much we've grown.'

Ruth Jones, who stars as Nessa and also co-writes the show, said: 'I feel terribly proud of how long it's lasted and how people how weren't even born when it came out are now fans.'

Ruth has admitted that Gavin and Stacey viewers might be left surprised at the Christmas special as she and James discussed the final ever episode earlier this week.

Die-hard fans have been speculating about how the co-creators will round off the show, with the duo giving an insight on Monday.

Many questions remain unanswered since the last episode, including what happened after Nessa's shock proposal to Smithy. 

While the plot for this year's Christmas special still being kept tightly under wraps, Ruth has revealed that they are defiantly bring the sitcom to an end.

Speaking in an interview with The Big Issue she said: 'I keep telling people this finale might not be what you are expecting. And I guarantee we will definitely not be coming back.'

James added: 'What people are going to see on Christmas Day is the culmination of a 20-year love story, which hopefully shows, if nothing else, that love is complicated and messy and for everyone.'

Joanna also revealed she found filming the final day of the Christmas special 'traumatic' as she opened up about the 'emotional' last day on set.

She said: 'Being on set for the last time with everybody for the last day was traumatic. I knew I was going to cry as soon as I walked on set. 

'I saw Steve's face, our first AD, and I just burst out crying. Then I saw Sophie Hebron, our second AD, and I burst out crying again. So then I went into my trailer and Julia Davis came in and sat with me, and I couldn't stop crying, because it just felt it was such a huge journey that was ending.

'So I found it very emotional but then in between that, hysterically funny, because the last scene we filmed was a funny one, so I just alternated between hysterically crying and hysterically laughing.'

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale will air at 9pm on Christmas Day on BBC One and iPlayer and Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell will air at 7pm on New Years Day on BBC One and iPlayer.

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