Oscar Hartland, who played Neil The Baby in Gavin and Stacey, has issued an apology after the show’s final episode aired – showing him all grown up 16 years after first gracing the show.
Oscar Hartland, known for his role in Gavin and Stacey, has apologised to fans following the final episode of the much-loved sitcom. The actor returned as a teenage Neil the Baby for the last-ever episode of the BBC series, which was written and starred by creators James Corden and Ruth Jones.
This reunion came five years after the 2019 Christmas special, tying up loose ends for the show’s favourite characters after a major cliffhanger. And while many branded the last episode as ‘perfect’, some did have one complaint – that we never found out what happened on the infamous fishing trip with Bryn and Jason. Jumping in on the joke, Oscar took to Instagram with a video in which he and his fellow young co-stars, who play Gavin and Stacey’s children, could be seen stood outside a trailer before Jason actor Robert Wilfort sheepishly walked past them.
Over the clip, Oscar wrote: “When you never found out what happened on the fishing trip.” before apologising in the caption, which read: “”Sorry guys #gavinandstacey #gavinandstacey2024 #thefishingtrip #reels #neilthebaby #jasongavinandstacey #gavinandstaceykids.”
While fans may not have been happy with the unresolved question, many were blown away by Oscar’s vocal talent in the episode. The actor, who appeared on The Voice Kids in 2023, performed a rendition of The Beatles’ ‘Blackbird’ during the episode.
Fans flooded the comments, urging him to release his cover of the song. @frances___j said: “Aside from the fishing trip, Neil the baby should have been on the bus to Southampton. Also, we need your cover of Blackbird to be released.”
@sarahsimmox commented: “Oscar you sang Blackbird so beautifully, hopefully you will be able to release it? ” @priv15884 wrote: “Petition for you to release a cover of blackbird on spotify.”
The finale, which aired on Christmas Day (December 25) on BBC One, took place in both Billericay, Essex, and Barry, South Wales, as Stacey and her husband Gavin’s family prepared for a wedding.
Fans initially thought it would be between Smithy and Nessa, especially after she proposed during the 2019 Christmas special. However, viewers were disappointed to find out that the wedding was actually between Smithy and Sonia, his girlfriend from the 2019 Christmas Day episode, played by Laura Aikman.
The new special revealed that Nessa’s proposal was interrupted before Smithy could respond, and they never discussed it again.
Fast-forward to the wedding day and, after a series of bridezilla moments, ring bearer and best man Gavin tells Smithy during the ceremony that he thinks he is making a mistake marrying Sonia. After many guests – including Neil the Baby – stand up when asked if anyone else objects to the marriage, Smithy realises he has to confess his true love and leaves Sonia a jilted bride.
The gang then embark on a race against time to reach Nessa before she sets off from Southampton Dock to work on the ships, as Neil the Baby is set to move to Essex to begin an apprenticeship with his father. After a famously on-off relationship, Smithy proposed to Nessa and the final scene features a heartwarming montage of a low-key wedding, with Nessa sporting a black dress and the couple finally getting their happily ever after.