Touching story behind why Smithy's mates appear in Gavin and Stacey as they return for last ever episode

Following the final ever episode of Gavin & Stacey, it feels like there is a touching story behind every little part of the show.

The finale episode revolves largely around Smithy (James Corden) holding a stag do and wedding.

Whether it be the extras in the wedding scene improvising standing up for Smithy, the fact that Baby Neil’s actor was actually one of the actors who played him as a baby, the episode is littered with adorable details.

One lesser known one is about Smithy’s mates who appear in the show, and then reappear for his stag in last night’s episode.

Whilst the opening to the episode made viewers think that, after Nessa’s proposal in the 2019 Christmas special, they were finally getting the two together, however, they were sorely mistaken.

Instead, the wedding is with Sonia, Smithy’s girlfriend from around the time Nessa proposed.

On the stag do, all of Smithy and Gavin’s old friends appear, including the notable members of the friend group Budgie (Russell Tovey), Dirtbox (Andrew Knott), Fingers (Samuel Anderson), and, of course, Chinese Alan (Dominic Gaskell).

Budgie (Russell Tovey) and Dirtbox (Andrew Knott) (BBC)

Chinese Alan is probably the character given the most to do after it is revealed he went on a date with a recently divorced Dawn.

The other three, however, all have a secret link to Corden, which explains why they appear in the TV show.

Of Smithy’s friend group, several are made up of long time collaborators of the star, who created the show alongside Ruth Jones, who plays Nessa in Gavin & Stacey.

Deano, who appeared in the show three times, is played by Matthew Baynton, who would later co-create the show The Wrong Mans with Corden.

The characters of Budgie, Dirtbox, and Fingers were all played by actors who appeared in one of Corden’s breakout roles, The History Boys.

Corden and three other members of The History Boys appear in Gavin & Stacey (Searchlight Pictures)

The iconic 2006 film is based on a play by Alan Bennett, and features a group of school boys dealing with two teachers competing to get them into Oxford and Cambridge respectively.

Though Dominic Cooper starred in the film, and Corden was the breakout star, Smithy’s mates are made up of three other members of The History Boys.

Tovey was the one of the three to arguably go on to be the most successful, as the actor played Rudge in The History Boys, played Budgie in Gavin & Stacey, and went on to star in shows such as Doctor Who, Torchwood, and Being Human.

Meanwile Knott also was in both, playing Lockwood in The History Boys and Dirtbox in Gavin & Stacey.

Add to that Samuel Anderson, who played Crowther in The History Boys and Fingers in Gavin & Stacey and you have a full History Boys reunion amongst the friends of Gavin & Stacey.

The four History Boys alumni plus Matthew Horne (Russell Tovey via Instagram)

Celebrating the finale, Tovey posted a picture on Instagram of the four of them alongside Gavin actor Matthew Horne.

His heartwarming caption read: “Love my boys - so proud to have been part of this magic from the very beginning - what a privilege - Gavin and Stacey forever.”

Too right.