Gavin & Stacey’s Joanna Page and Mathew Horne reunite for Christmas

Gavin & Stacey stars Joanna Page and Mathew Horne have reunited for a Christmas special – but not the one fans hoped for.

Instead, the pair – who played Stacey and Gavin Shipman in the hit TV series – appear in a short festive supermarket advert, enjoying a turkey pie while replying to a fan’s letter about showing love through food.

The clip opens with Page jokingly referencing the show: “Oh, you didn’t think we’d let Christmas roll around without showing up again, did you?”

The mini-episode, created with Waitrose, is part of the six-part How to Say It With Food series, where Page and Horne tackle some of the nation’s most common Christmas food dilemmas.

Although fans will not see Gavin and Stacey return to Barry or Billericay this year, they will still see the much-loved duo back on their screens.

After Page’s Gavin & Stacey nod, Horne responds: “Us? Miss Christmas? Not a chance. But this time we’re here to help you say it with food.”

They are handed an envelope from Santa containing a letter from a viewer asking how he can show his “leading lady” he loves her through food.

Mathew joked: “First time saying it, you want a statement. Sixteenth time, you want a statement that doesn’t involve socks.”

He then plays Waitrose’s new Christmas advert starring Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson, which follows an unlikely love story which sparks over Sussex Charmer cheese and ends with Wilkinson giving Knightley a turkey pie decorated with “I love you”.

Smiling at Horne, Page references another Gavin & Stacey moment: “Oh, that’s so romantic.”

The pair are then given a turkey pie to try, with Horne diving in before cutting Page a slice – a moment that makes her laugh.

The advert ends with the pair wishing viewers a Merry Christmas as they watch Knightley and Wilkinson share a warm festive kiss.

Reflecting on the advert, Page said: “You thought you’d seen the last of us! Well, we’re back and what fun we had.”

She added: “it was such a treat working with Mat… food is what brings people together over the festive season.”

Mathew Horne described it as “brilliant” to be back on set with Page, calling it “a Christmas tradition”.