My house was used to film the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special – star James Corden broke his promise to me
A GAVIN & Stacey superfan whose home was used to film the upcoming Christmas Special said star James Corden broke his promise.
Glenda Kenyon’s terraced home in Barry, Wales, has been used to shoot the BBC sitcom since it began in 2007.
The 71-year-old’s house doubles as that of character Gwen, played by Melanie Walters – mum of titular character Stacey (Joanna Page).
Pensioner Glenda said she was called by a producer around a month before the cast and crew arrived to film the finale episode in September.
She was delighted to accommodate, even if it meant them completely redecorating and changing the furniture.
Referring to the filming, Glenda told The Sun: “They spent three days in the street and one day in the house.”
She added: “They took everything out of the living room, they repainted everything, they put a new border.
“At the end of filming they were giving away a lot of the stuff, so the brand new cream settees they used, I’ve got them now to keep.”
Asked if it still seems like her home when she watches on the TV, Glenda said: “It’s different ornaments and things, but it’s obvious it’s mine and I always tell people ‘that’s my house, look’.
“I’m watching it and saying ‘that’s mine, that’s mine’.
“I love the show, I’m always watching it.”
Glenda was first contacted about having her house used on the programme when they were scouting locations in 2006.
A TV company put letters through the door of several residents on the street, and initially she thought it was a wind up.
“I’m dyslexic so I took it down to my neighbour Marion. She read it, I made a phone call and that took a few weeks before they even came back.
“Then they have to come in and make sure all the measurements match up for what they want.”
Each time they’ve come to film the three series and Christmas Specials – the last in 2019 – Glenda has been offered a hotel, which she usually takes.
“This time I was away for three weeks,” she explained.
She said previously Corden, who plays Smithy as well as co-writing the show with fellow star Ruth Jones (Nessa), had promised to come visit her.
“Smithy was here when I was in the hotel. He did say to one of my friends he would come and see me. He hasn’t. I’m very disappointed to be fair,” she joked.
Asked about anything she can reveal about the final episode on Christmas Day, she said she must remain tightlipped.
“There’s a lot of stuff about the show I don’t know – people try and ask me ‘do you know what’s going to happen?’ I have to tell them ‘no, I can’t tell you anything’.”
Glenda is originally from England but relocated to Cardiff at the age of 17 before moving to her home in Barry around 35 years ago.
She worked for 28 years in a factory assembling fruit machines.
LOCATION TOUR
Glenda’s home is also used as part of a Gavin & Stacey tour, operated by Brit Tours.
Currently, due to popular demand, they are running dates throughout December.
Glenda – who has created something of a shrine to the show in her house – often welcomes those involved inside, while a guide gives them the background.
“My home is always tidy,” she said. “Brit Movies pays for me to have a cleaner because I was struggling. There’s quite a few tours at the moment, but I’m happy for people to see the house.”
She added that tour customers even often want to have a selfie with her.
“I get embarrassed when they do that,” she said.
But Glenda does excite in showing them her collection of memorabilia, including photos from filming, and cast and crew thank you cards.
“I’ve got every T-shirt going upstairs, I’ve got tea towels, I’ve got the bags,” she said.
The tour itself often sees participants encouraged to pose for pictures outside on the street pretending to propose to their partners, mimicking the cliffhanger in the 2019 special.
And Glenda said she got the shock of her life when a man proposed to his girlfriend inside her home itself for real.
“I thought it was a wind up and he said ‘no, it’s not a wind up’,” she said. “I thought ‘blooming heck’, it was a shock.”
Has your home been used for a famous film or TV shoot? Email ryan.merrifield@thesun.co.uk