One of the original actors to play baby Neil in hit BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey has returned to the role for the show’s Christmas Day special.
Oscar Hartland, from Machen, was just six-months-old when he first played the role of Neil – son of Smithy and Nessa, played by the show’s writers James Corden and Ruth Jones.
He was one of three babies to play the role ten years ago.
Speaking to the BBC, Ruth Jones revealed that Oscar had returned to the role.
She said: “Originally I think we had three different baby Neils. You can’t have the same baby all the time because of hours.
“Purely by chance, the boy who’s been cast as Neil the baby was one of the original babies. He’s Oscar Hartland and he was magnificent. Everybody said he looked like the love child of Ruth Jones and James Corden. I’ll quash the rumours now – he’s not.”
Earlier this year the young actor’s mother revealed how Oscar wanted to reprise the role – an now the rising star has.
Kirsty Pritchard-Hartland, who was on maternity leave at the time of the original series, told Caerphilly Observer earlier this year: “We can’t wait for the Christmas reunion. If it was a possibility, Oscar would love to reprise the role.”
Kirsty also explained how Oscar got the role first time around.
She said: “It all happened by accident. We were in the right place at the right time.
“Baby Cow Productions were looking for a baby, so I sent a photo of Oscar and we were asked to go to Porthkerry leisure park.”
Gavin and Stacey is on BBC One on Christmas Day at 8.30pm.