List of Gavin & Stacey characters

Gavin & Stacey main characters, left to right: Uncle Bryn (Rob Brydon), Gwen (Melanie Walters), Nessa (Ruth Jones), Stacey (Joanna Page), Gavin (Mathew Horne), Smithy (James Corden), Pam (Alison Steadman) and Mick (Larry Lamb)

Gavin & Stacey is an award winning British television comedy series, following the lives of the title characters Gavin (Mathew Horne) and Stacey (Joanna Page), who, before marrying, live at opposite ends of the country, Gavin in Billericay, Essex, and Stacey in Barry Town, Vale of Glamorgan. During the first two series Gavin lives with his parents Mick (Larry Lamb) and Pam (Alison Steadman) but in the third series he has moved, with Stacey, to Barry and lives with Stacey's mother. He has a best friend Neil 'Smithy' Smith (James Corden). For most of the episodes Stacey lives in Barry with her mother Gwen (Melanie Walters), with an extended family of Uncle Bryn (Rob Brydon) across the street, and best friend Vanessa Shanessa 'Nessa' Jenkins (Ruth Jones), but for a short while during series two she lived with Gavin, Pam and Mick in Essex.

Characters

Actor/Actress	Character	First Appearance	Last Appearance	Duration	Total
Mathew Horne	Gavin 'Gav' Shipman	13 May 2007	1 January 2010	2007–2010	20
Joanna Page	Stacey 'Stace' Shipman née West	13 May 2007	1 January 2010	2007–2010	20
James Corden	Neil 'Smithy' Smith	13 May 2007	1 January 2010	2007–2010	20
Ruth Jones	Vanessa 'Nessa' Jenkins	13 May 2007	1 January 2010	2007–2010	20
Rob Brydon	Bryn West	13 May 2007	1 January 2010	2007–2010	20
Larry Lamb	Michael 'Mick' Shipman	13 May 2007	1 January 2010	2007–2010	20
Alison Steadman	Pamela 'Pam' Shipman	13 May 2007	1 January 2010	2007–2010	20
Melanie Walters	Gwen West	13 May 2007	1 January 2010	2007–2010	20
Steffan Rhodri	David Coaches	13 May 2007	1 January 2010	2007, 2008–2010	11
Sheridan Smith	Ruth 'Rudi' Smith	16 March 2008	1 January 2010	2008–2010	7
Margaret John	Doris	13 May 2007	1 January 2010	2007, 2008, 2009, 2010	8
Adrian Scarborough	Pete Sutcliffe	13 May 2007	17 December 2009	2007–2009	7
Julia Davis	Dawn Sutcliffe	13 May 2007	17 December 2009	2007–2009	7
Ewan Kennedy	Neil Noel Edmund Smith "the baby, Neil", "Neil, the baby"	20 April 2008	1 January 2010	2008–2010	8
Robert Wilfort	Jason West	3 June 2007	1 January 2010	2007, 2008, 2009–2010	6
Huw Dafydd	Neil Jenkins	26 November 2009	1 January 2010	2009–2010	3
Pam Ferris	Cath Smith	26 November 2009	17 December 2009	2009	2
Steven Meo	Owain Hughes	26 November 2009	10 December 2009	2009	3
Gwynfor Roberts	Dick Powell	27 May 2007	25 December 2009	2007–2009	2

Main characters

• Gavin Shipman (Mathew Horne) - Gavin is 28 when the series starts. He is an only child, and when the series starts he still lives with his loving mother and father in Billericay, Essex. He gets on well with his parents. He works for a company called IGB and spends his spare time with his best friend Smithy, as well as his other friends Gary & Simon, Dirtbox, Fingers, Budgie, Swede, Chinese Alan and Jesus. He is a big fan of Tottenham Hotspur (as is Mathew Horne) and is often seen wearing his Spurs shirt. In the course of his job, he had to deal with a company called Bedmores, based in Barry. The Bedmores representative he had to correspond with was a woman called Stacey West. Gavin and Stacey had to speak regularly because of their jobs, and they found they got on very well. After months and months of talking and flirting, they agreed to meet up in London. They agreed that Gavin would bring his best friend Smithy with him, and Stacey would bring her best friend Vanessa with her. They met up and went clubbing. They had a great time, and got on very well. They went back to Stacey's hotel room and had sex. The next day, Stacey had to go back to Barry, but she and Gavin promised to keep ringing each other and that this would not be the end of their relationship. While Stacey and Nessa boarded the coach back to Barry, Gavin and Smithy got a cab back to Billericay. Without waiting for Smithy, Gavin jumped in his car and drove all the way to Barry, and met Stacey of the coach, to her surprise. He and Stacey told each other they loved each other for the first time. Within 9 weeks, they had got engaged and married. Despite a few initial problems regarding Stacey being homesick, their relationship was successful, and Stacey became pregnant (eventually). Gavin, and his father Mick, often play the 'straight men' in the series. Much of the comedy comes from the actions of those around them (especially Pam and Smithy). It is clear that Gavin loves his friends and family very much. Despite the fact that his mother Pam often overreacts and acts without thinking, Gavin still loves her, despite being occasionally exasperated by her. His best friend Smithy is also prone to overreact and act over the top, but Gavin sticks with him and loves him like a little brother. Gavin can at times be a bit spoiled, possibly due to being an only child. He can be irritated when he doesn't get his way, and sometimes fails to understand the much more emotional Smithy and Stacey. Gavin clearly does not like the town of Barry, expressing his dislike for it in several episodes. When he and Stacey get married, he insists they live in Billericay. Stacey, who was very attached to her hometown, gets very depressed and homesick. Gavin is slightly insensitive about it, and can't understand why she isn't happy in Billericay. On the other hand, Stacey is perhaps a bit melodramatic about moving to Billericay. Gavin clearly loves his wife very much and is very affectionate towards her, but is less talkative and expressive than she is. When he and Stacey return from their honeymoon, when they are having dinner with their families, Stacey is full of conversation while Gavin just listens to her. He does show his love for her by moving to Barry to make her happy, even though he doesn't like Barry. At his new job in Cardiff, he is slightly irritated by his Welsh colleagues, in a similar way he is annoyed by Bryn. Although he never expresses a dislike of Bryn, he does, at times, seem slightly exasperated by his eccentricity. His boss Huw Davies and colleague Owain Hughes act very similar to Bryn, talking incessantly and being over-friendly. Gavin is more reserved and less willing to discuss his private life than his wife. He finds it odd that Stacey is so eager and ready to spill information about their private life to Nessa, Gwen, Jason and Bryn. When Gavin is applying for a job in Cardiff, the only people who know are Stacey and Mick. When he and Stacey announce it to the rest of the characters, Gwen announces that she knew as well, because Stacey told her. Gavin is annoyed that Stacey told Gwen, and by the fact that Stacey did not tell him she had told Gwen. He doesn't understand why Stacey always has to be so close to her family. It isn't that he is distant from his family, but he isn't as close to his as Stacey is to hers.

• Stacey Shipman (née West) (Joanna Page) - Stacey is 26 and is from Barry, near Cardiff. Her father, Trevor, died three years ago, and she lived at home with her mother in Barry until her marriage. Her gay brother, Jason, lives in Spain. She has been engaged six times but married only once, to Gavin. She confides frequently in her best friend, Nessa. Stacey discovers she is pregnant in the final episode of series 3.

• Neil "Smithy" Smith (James Corden) - Smithy is 28 and Gavin's best friend, and they've known each other since primary school. He is very protective of Gavin- he is disappointed when Gavin gets engaged to Stacey and when Gavin and Stacey go on a honeymoon, he calls Gavin every day for the 3 weeks they are there, and gets angry at Gavin for leaving his phone off. He loves Gavin's parents more than his own, and has an unseen girlfriend called Lucy, who, according to Smithy, is seventeen years and three quarters old. He loves unusual beer, paintball and West Ham United. When Nessa gives birth to their son, they name him Neil after himself and Nessa's father. In the series finale, Smithy stops Nessa's wedding declaring his feeling for her, thus causing Nessa and Dave not to get married. He is shown to have obvious similaraties to Nessa, such as: refusing to share food, being very upfront, protective of their best friends, and they like most of the same food and drink, such as KFC, corn on the cob, and Irn Bru.

• Vanessa Shanessa "Nessa" Jenkins (Ruth Jones) - Nessa is Stacey's best friend, also from Barry. She discovers she is pregnant in the fourth episode of series 1, and it is later revealed that Smithy is the father. She speaks fluent Italian and Welsh, has several tattoos, including most notably a large red dragon on her right upper arm. She is a chain smoker (except during her pregnancy) and was one of the original members of All Saints (but didn't get along with Shaznay). She works at the Barry Island Amusement Arcades or "The Slots". Nessa regularly recalls strange and often lewd experiences with celebrities. She gives birth to baby Neil in the Series Finale of Series 2 and becomes engaged to Dave Coaches (Gooch) in the 2008 Christmas special. In the series finale, Smithy declares his feelings for Nessa at her wedding, and Dave accepts that the feelings he and Nessa share are not as strong as hers and Smithy's. Nessa's age is unknown throughout the show even to Stacey. To date she has slept with Gavin's best friend Smithy 4 times. Her catchphrases include 'Ohhhh', 'Tidy', 'Genuine', 'Truth be told', 'Immense', 'I'm not going to lie to you' and 'What's occurring?'. In the third series, it was discovered that she is an Aston Villa fan. She has a jet black bob-style hair and wears Gothic style make up. She is serious, ongoing and surprisingly intelligent at times. She has had a number of interesting occupations including being a BBC radio producer, a roadie for a major band, and driving trucks for Eddie Stobbart and a running feature of the programme is her wide range of impressive occupations, abilities (apart from speaking fluent Italian she is an excellent ten pin bowler) and acquaintance or relationships with various famous people. The reaction of those around her to mention of these invariably suggests that they are factual rather than a fantasy, despite the rather incongruous fact that she now works as a cashier at an amusement arcade.

• Michael "Mick" Shipman (Larry Lamb) - Mick is Gavin's father. He is often mistaken to be 53 and is a down-to-earth bloke, like his son. He's happy with his life — running his own company, playing golf and going to the pub quiz every Tuesday. He is something of a calming influence on his wife.

• Pamela Andrea "Pam" Shipman (née Griggell-Eschefska) (Alison Steadman) — Pam is Gavin's proud and doting mother. She is in her fifties, though her exact age is unknown as, according to her husband, she has claimed to be 51 on her past five birthdays. She is a stereotypical Essex wife and is very house-proud. She is also very caring of Smithy, Gavin's best friend, and treats him as if he were her own son. Pamela adores Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (referring to Princess Diana as a 'hussy') and acts out sexual fantasies of Charles and Camilla with Mick. She dotes on Gavin, who she calls her 'Little Prince'. She welcomes Stacey into the family, but becomes very antagonistic towards her when she persuades Gavin to move to Barry. Her catchphrases include 'Oh My Christ', 'I panicked 'name' and 'Mick! Michael!'
• Bryn West (Rob Brydon) - Bryn is Stacey and Jason's uncle. He is the brother of Stacey's deceased father, Trevor, and is single in his late forties. He lives across the road from Gwen and Stacey and is very protective of them, although in Series 1 & 2 he had a strained relationship with his nephew Jason due to an unspecified incident on a fishing trip. He leads a very simple life and often gets excited about trivial things such as his Sat Nav and the Internet. He also enjoys typically female-oriented TV shows such as Desperate Housewives and Sex and the City. He is a keen singer and sings with Nessa. He has a gym in his house that is 'the talk of the street'. Bryn also displays latent homosexual tendencies, but is seemingly too innocent and childlike to have identified them. For instance, Bryn converted one of the bedrooms in his home into a gym and invites Smithy over where they strip down shirtless and workout, this is followed by a 'work down' that includes rubbing each other. Smithy does not see this as a sexual thing at all, even though it makes Gavin uncomfortable. Gavin & Stacey Audience believe Bryn to be Gay throughout Series 1-3. It has been implied a number of times that Bryn was abused by his brother as a child, by Trevor leaving him terrified on a ghost train and being hanged by his ankles and swung against rocks, resulting in two broken arms. He admits he 'rather enjoyed the experience' and it was only 'tom foolery', it still shocks everyone and horrifies Pam.

• Gwen West (Melanie Walters) - Gwen is Stacey's mother. She is a widow in her late forties and has two children, Jason and Stacey. She is a housewife and regularly offers to cook omelettes. She's a caring, kind woman who sometimes does a bit too much for Nessa. She's very close to Stacey as they spent many years living together, she currently lives with Stacey and her husband Gavin. On the day of Nessa's wedding, Nessa told Gwen that she was like a mother to her, before kissing her on the lips, which gob smacks Gwen, but does not affect Nessa.

Other characters

• David "Dave" Lloyd Coach (Steffan Rhodri) - Coach driver in Barry and Nessa's fiancé (engaged in Christmas special). Aspersions are cast regarding his sexual health in Series 1, although it is revealed in Series 2 that he has been to "the clinic". He is the only person, other than Bryn and Jason, who knows what happened on the fishing trip. He also has his own company named Dave Coaches. He often shows jealousy towards Smithy for being the dad of Nessa's child. Smithy gets jealous of him for always spending time with his son and treating him like his own, and in the final episode leaves Nessa at the altar as he doesn't believe she loves him. Nessa's dad mentions him having "blood on his hands", but says he was joking, knowing that "nothing was proven".
• Jason West (Robert Wilfort) - Stacey's elder brother, son of Gwen and her late husband, Trevor. Lives in Spain with his boyfriend, José. He and Bryn share a rather awkward relationship due to some mysterious goings-on on the fateful fishing trip. He is disappointed in the first series when Gavin and Stacey get married and he is not chosen to take Stacey down the aisle
• Peter "Pete" Sutcliffe (Adrian Scarborough) and Dawn Sutcliffe (Julia Davis) - Friends of Pam and Mick Shipman. They have a very strained marriage and regularly insult each other in public. Also part of the ongoing joke that characters share their surnames with serial killers — in this case Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper. He punches Dave in the Christmas special. He also attempts a threesome in the beginning of series 2 with his wife Dawn and a man named Seth. It didn't work out as Seth said the photo was not representative of them as a couple. The couple renewed their vows in series 3. They have two children, Fiona and Alex. In the series finale of series 1, their surname is revealed to be Whitely, but in the 2008 Christmas Special, it is revealed to be Sutcliffe.
• Catherina Smith (Pam Ferris) - Smithy's mother who first appears in the first episode of Series 3. She is rumoured to have had a lesbian relationship with the headteacher of Gavin and Smithy's primary school. She claims to suffer from narcolepsy, though Pam attributes this to her excessive drinking. She attends single mother support groups and has be known to perform lewd acts on webcam, having once accidentally exposed herself to Nessa thinking she was a man named John.
• Doris "Dor" (Margaret John) - Gwen's elderly next door neighbour. She looks like a stereotypical 'little old lady', in sharp contrast to her behaviour and blunt, profanity-littered conversational style. Doris regular dates younger men, even offering herself up to Gavin for 'discreet' extramarital relations, and is described by Bryn as 'a player'. She has a daughter named Moira, who she never got on with. It is Doris who spots the unfortunate coincidence of Gavin and Stacey sharing the West and Shipman surnames with serial murderers Fred and Rosemary West and Harold Shipman.
• Ruth "Rudi" Smith (Sheridan Smith) - Smithy's sister, also likes to be called "Smithy" in an attempt to imitate her brother, with whom she often fights.
• Neil Noel Edmund Smith aka Neil The Baby - The son of Smithy and Nessa, named after both Smithy and Nessa's father. His middle names come from Smithy's uncle Edmund and Nessa's friend Noel from Hear'Say.
• Neil Jenkins (Ifan Huw Dafydd)- Nessa's father; appears at the Christening but is obviously uncomfortable at being back in Barry due to unknown previous events. He is a part time actor who has appeared as an extra in Lark Rise to Candleford and as a man in a coma in Holby City.
• Dick Powell (Gwynfor Roberts) The only exclusively Welsh-speaking inhabitant of Barry. Sells items on the black market such as satellite navigation systems and meat that his brother steals from the slaughterhouse where he works. He enjoys chicken and Glamorgan sausage sandwiches.
• Deano (Mathew Baynton) is a friend of Gavin and Smithy's. He works with Smithy and is known for being gormless and somewhat naïve. He learnt Welsh prior to coming over to Wales with the "Essex Lads". He wasn't at Gavin's stag, but got a t-shirt made afterwards when they went to the foam party.
• Owain Hughes (Steven Meo) - one of Gavin's co-workers at his new job in Cardiff in Series 3. Constantly the subject of an unclear joke - "My name is Owain Hughes and before you ask, no I don't!". The joke is a play on words, it sounds like "owing Hughes".

Gavin's Friends

• Budgie - (Russell Tovey) A friend of Gavin and Smithy's. His nickname originates from him having characteristics of a budgie, and having big ears. He is often left alone with Bryn; such as when Bryn was showing him his camera and it's effects, and outside the nightclub when Bryn was drunk. He has a brother called Magpie.

• Chinese Alan - (Dominic Gaskell) A friend of Gavin and Smithy's. His catchphrase is 'Did anyone order a Chinese?'. He attempted to get into a nightclub wearing a bin bag once. He got married before the events of the first episode.

• Fingers - (Samuel Anderson) A friend of Gavin and Smithy's. He is so named because of his womanising attitude. He has an on-off relationship with Stacey's friend, Louise, a scene shows them having sexual contact in Gavin & Stacey's wedding.

• Dirtbox - (Andrew Knott) A friend of Gavin and Smithy's. He is often seen talking with Gavin and appears to be his best friend after Smithy. He is very snappy; seen when he tells Jesus to 'Shut up' repeatedly, and when he told Chinese Alan to take off the stag t-shirt. He seems to be the most kind and considerate of the boys.

• Jesus - (Daniel Curtis) A friend of Gavin and Smithy's. He only appears in the stag episode; and it appears no one in the group really likes him. His nickname originates from his beard; which Smithy makes fun of. He has an argument with Smithy and is told to "shut up" by Dirtbox multiple times.

• Swede A friend of Gavin and Smithy's. He rarely says anything, and the most he does is go to open the door for Bryn. He has bushy hair.

• Gary A friend of Gavin and Smithy's. He has been friends with them since Primary school. He is never seen without his best friend Simon; except for in Series 3, where it appears they have had an argument.

• 'N' Simon A friend of Gavin and Smithy's. He has been friends with them since Primary school. He is never seen without his best friend Gary; but he does not appear in Series 3, as it appears he has had an argument with Gary.

• Luggy A friend of Gavin and Smithy's. He has glasses and is quite tall. He is not seen in Series 3 for unknown reasons.

Minor Characters

• Big Fat Sue - Pam's friend, Pam calls her Susan to her face however other characters, dawn etc call her 'Big Fat Sue'
• Seth - Swinger who responded to Dawn & Pete's request for a threesome partner, he denied because the picture of dawn and Pete was 15 years old.
• Tom Jones - Singer, Nessa's ex-boyfriend
• Robin Gibb - Singer
• John Prescott - Politician, Nessa's ex-boyfriend
• Noel Sullivan - Singer, Nessa's friend, Neil, the baby's middle name is after him.
• Griff - Bryn and Doris's friend
• Father Chris - A vicar in Barry. It is possible that his name could be a joke on "Father Christmas", yet nothing has been certified.
• Jose - Jason's boyfriend, appearing in Gavin and Stacey's wedding
• Edna Sutcliffe - Pete's Mum, only seen once in the Christmas Special, where Pete forgot her and she stayed behind the bar over night
• Scott - One of Doris's boyfriends