Gavin and Stacey has already been toppled as the BBC’s most-watched show ever just weeks after breaking its own record. 

The Ruth Jones and James Corden sitcom brought in a whopping 12.3million viewers on Christmas Day, clinching the festive ratings top spot.

And in the weeks that followed it gained a huge boost to its audience, reaching 20.9million viewers after 28 days – breaking its own record from the 2019 Christmas special of 18.5million viewers in the same time period. 

However its post-broadcast ratings have been gazumped by another BBC show, the iconic Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

The animation aired hours before Gavin and Stacey on Christmas Day but came second place behind the sitcom for the most on-the-day viewers.

Yet weeks on from its broadcast, Wallace and Gromit has overtaken Gavin and Stacy with an astonishing 21.6million people tuning in on iPlayer and BBC channels.

Gavin and Stacey has already been toppled as the BBC’s most-watched show ever just weeks after breaking its own record

Its post-broadcast ratings have been gazumped by another BBC show, the iconic Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The record breaking numbers make them the UK’s biggest scripted and animation shows since modern records began in 2002. 

Wallace and Gromit directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham said of the figures: ‘Well ʙuттer me crumpets, Gromit! We are so truly honoured and utterly gobsmacked by these fantastic viewing figures. 

‘That our clay heroes mean so much to audiences here on the BBC is the best thrill of all.’

Meanwhile Gavin and Stacey’s Ruth Jones and James Corden added: ‘What a testament to the BBC to have achieved such impressive viewing figures on Christmas Day. 

‘We are so proud to have been a part of it.’

Charlotte Moore, BBC’s Chief Content Officer said: ‘These figures exceed all expectations, to reach over 20 million is an astonishing milestone in 2025. 

‘These two quintessentially British shows couldn’t be more different but what unites them is their undeniable quality and the fact they are best in class.

‘I am in awe of the creative genius that is Aardman, Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham, Ruth Jones and James Corden and I’m very proud of the long standing relationship we have with them. It’s been a privilege to support their exceptional creative talents over decades.’

The Ruth Jones and James Corden sitcom brought in a whopping 12.3million viewers on Christmas Day, clinching the festive ratings top spot

Yet weeks on from its broadcast, Wallace and Gromit has overtaken Gavin and Stacy with 21.6million people tuning in on iPlayer and BBC channels

The animation aired hours before Gavin and Stacey on Christmas Day but came second place behind the sitcom for the most on-the-day viewers

Gavin and Stacey finally came to an end on Christmas Day with a feature-length festive finale, with fans quick to laud the ‘perfect’ conclusion, 17 years after the iconic BBC comedy first hit screens.

The series, which debuted back in 2007 after being created by stars James Corden and Ruth Jones, concluded with on/off lovers Smithy and Nessa finally declaring their love for one another and tying the knot, but not without a few hiccups along the way.

While fans tuned into the episode to see whether Smithy had accepted Nessa’s proposal from the 2019 Christmas Special, a five-year time jump revealed that he was indeed set to tie the knot, but all was not as it seemed.

It was revealed that Smithy had instead got engaged to his girlfriend Sonia, who failed to impress the Shipman/West clan when she met them in the last festive episode, with actress Laura Aikman’s return to the show kept a closely-guarded secret.

Fans were also treated to the surprise return of Sheridan Smith as Smithy’s sister Rudi, and Pam Ferris as his mum Cath. 

The series, which debuted back in 2007 after being created by stars James Corden and Ruth Jones, concluded with on/off lovers Smithy and Nessa finally declaring their love for one another and tying the knot

It was revealed that Smithy had instead got engaged to his girlfriend Sonia – yet when it came to Smithy’s big day he realised that Nessa was his one true love and called off the wedding

The entire family jumped into Dave’s coach and rushed to Southampton, where Nessa was preparing to set sail

Yet when it came to Smithy’s big day he realised that Nessa was his one true love and called off the wedding.  

The entire family jumped into Dave’s coach and rushed to Southampton, where Nessa was preparing to set sail, and in a scene 17 years in the making, he declared his love for her, and asked her to reconsider leaving.

While an ever-stoic Nessa insisted she wouldn’t propose to Smithy again, instead he returned her offer from five years earlier, finally getting down on one knee and asking her to marry him. 

The episode then cut to Smithy and Nessa exchanging their vows at long last in an intimate ceremony in Barry, with the series ending with an emotional montage of the family marking the occasion at The Dolphin pub, before posing for a family snap together.