How To Watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell Online
| Release Date: Wednesday, January 1 2025 |
| Broadcast Time: 7pm GMT |
| Channel: BBC One |
| Free Stream: Stream live or on catch-up on BBC iPlayer (UK) |
| International Streams: BritBox (US) |
| Watch anywhere: Stream from anywhere with NordVPN |
Watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell – Preview
By the time you read this, it will all be over – Gavin and Stacey: The Finale will have aired, and no doubt left its dedicated fanbase heartbroken. So, to soften the blow of saying goodbye FOREVER (Ruth Jones is adamant on that), the BBC is airing an hour-long, behind-the-scenes documentary to celebrate the show’s 17 year journey and legacy. Scroll down below for how to watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell online for free in the UK and from anywhere with a VPN.
In 2007, co-creators James Corden and Ruth Jones introduced us to the sweet romance between Gavin Shipman (Mathew Horne) and Stacey West (Joanna Page), whose relationship brings together their larger-than-life best-friends Ness (Jones) and Smithy (Corden), in addition to the extended Billericay-based Shipman family with the Wests of Barry in Wales.
Its initial reception was muted. Jones describes it as “this quiet little show on BBC Three with 500,000 viewers.” Yet by its third season the characters were lodged in the nation’s heart like a piece of lamb kebab. Full of warmth, iconic catchphrases (“what’s occurring?”), and hilariously recognisable family dynamics, the Brit sitcom was heaped with awards, with skyrocketing TV ratings as 19 million tuned in for the 2019 Christmas special. Even ten years after they'd stop producing full series of the show, its popularity was a testament to the public’s indelible affection for Gavin and Stacey.
That makes this New Year's Day documentary a true gem to long-time fans. Comprised of footage from the actors’ initial auditions, series outtakes, and behind-the-scenes content from the 2019 special and the recent, tear-jerking finale, it’ll be very emotional as the cast and crew reminisce on their 17-year-old journeys. As this chapter in their lives comes to an end, Corden is just one of those who sanguinely reflects that “it changed my life in every way.”
Ready to give the hit sitcom the send-off it deserves? Then simply read the following guide for how to watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell online, free on BBC iPlayer and from anywhere.
How to watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell online in the UK for free
Those based in the UK can watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell on BBC One or BBC iPlayer when it airs on Wednesday, January 1 2025 at 7pm GMT.
BBC iPlayer, the BBC’s online platform, is 100% free to use. Simply go ahead and sign-up for a BBC iPlayer account. All you need is an email address and a UK postcode (e.g. W12 7FA) and a valid TV licence.
Abroad? Use a VPN using the instructions below to access BBC iPlayer like you would at home.
How to watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell online from anywhere
If you're a UK citizen on vacation or working overseas, you can still watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell online just as you would at home.
While services like BBC iPlayer block access from IP addresses outside of the UK, there's a handy piece of software called a VPN that can change your IP address, allowing you to watch UK TV online by making it look like you're accessing streaming services from any country in the world.
For example, UK citizens overseas can subscribe to a VPN, join a UK-based server and access their subscription from anywhere in the world, just like they would back home.
Step-by-step of using a VPN to unblock:
1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to recommendation for unblocking is NordVPN.
2. Connect to a server - for BBC iPlayer, for example, you'll want to connect to a server based in the UK
3. Go to the live stream you wish to access - for Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell head to BBC iPlayer
How to watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell online in the US
US fans can celebrate the legendary British sitcom when Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell arrives on BritBox from Wednesday, January 1 – New Year's Day, the very same day the documentary airs on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
Haven’t tried BritBox yet? You can enjoy the platform free for 7 days if you’re new too the service. After that, a monthly subscription costs $8.99 a month, while you can save money by opting for the $89.99 a year plan.
A UK citizen currently away from home? Use a VPN to port yourself back home and connect to BBC iPlayer.
Can I watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell online in Canada?
Sadly, those in the Great North won’t be able to watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell. The series was broadcast on BBC Canada originally, but there don’t seem to be any confirmed plans to air Gavin and Stacey: The Finale or Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell either. If we hear anything different, we’ll be sure to update you here.
A Brit abroad? Download a VPN to connect to BBC iPlayer no matter where you are.
Can I watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell online in Australia?
It’s a bit of a disappointment to Gavin and Stacey enthusiasts Down Under. While Aussies will be able to stream the series’ finale on Binge from December 26, the streamer doesn’t seem to have nabbed the accompanying BBC documentary, too. Unfortunately, that leaves UK citizens keen to watch it while abroad a bit stranded.
The solution? Brits visiting family in Australia during the holidays can purchase a VPN, which will let you connect to a geo-blocked service like iPlayer and watch your favorite shows no matter where you are.
Where Can I Watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell?
Filled with footage from the show’s 17-year-long run as well as exclusive cast and crew interviews, you can watch Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell on BBC One in the UK when it airs on Wednesday, January 1 at 7pm GMT. It will be available on-demand with BBC iPlayer shortly after broadcast too. Likewise, there's good news for US viewers, who’ll find the retrospective tucked in their BritBox streaming stocking from January 1 too, New Year’s Day.
