Gavin and Stacey Christmas special filming starts

The BBC shared a clapperboard from the first day of filming for the final episode of Gavin and Stacey

Filming for the final ever episode of the hit comedy series Gavin and Stacey has started.

The BBC shared an image of a clapperboard from the first day on set, with the caption: "The final episode of Gavin & Stacey started filming today. Truth be told, we’re a little bit excited."

The show's co-creators Ruth Jones and James Corden said in May the show would return for one last episode, to be aired on Christmas Day.

On Monday morning, Corden shared a picture of his character Smithy's van, with the caption: "Day 1. Here we go."

The comedy, which aired for three series between 2007 and 2010, followed the central characters of Gavin and Stacey - played by Mathew Horne and Joanna Page - as they pursued a relationship across Essex and south Wales.

It returned in 2019 for a Christmas special that ended on a cliff-hanger when Nessa, played by Jones, got down on one knee to propose to Smithy, played by Corden.

The festive episode scored the highest overnight Christmas ratings in 12 years when it aired, attracting an average audience of 11.6 million viewers - making it the biggest festive special since Christmas Day 2008.

Gavin and Stacey first aired on the BBC in 2007

Most episodes of the show - including many of the scenes that are set in Essex - were actually filmed in and around the town of Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.

On Sunday, Jones was spotted having lunch at Marco's cafe on the seafront, known for its role in the show as where Stacey worked, and just a few doors down from where Nessa worked in an arcade.

And on Friday, Welsh actor Rob Brydon, who plays Uncle Bryn on the show, posted a selfie with Ruth Jones on Instagram with the caption: "Something's occurring..."

Speaking last month after revealing the final script was finished, Corden said he felt very emotional".

"We will never write anything that Pam says again," Corden told Chris Evans on Virgin Radio.

“We will never come up with an interesting thing that Bryn has done.

“And we just looked at each other and we [Corden and Jones] were just like, ‘ah, isn’t that amazing?’ To even have the luxury of deciding to end it and to be in a position where people still care.

“It’s inconceivable to us – all of it. I just feel very emotional by all of it. Everything.”