'I love being Bryn, the role is a gift'

PORT Talbot star Rob Brydon has revealed working on Gavin and Stacey was his favourite job of all time.

The actor plays Uncle Bryn in the Bafta-winning sitcom, which started its third series last week on BBC1.

And in an exclusive interview with the Post he said: "It wasn't just another job for me – it's the most enjoyable job I've ever done. It really was very special for me.

"I love playing Uncle Bryn, it's been just wonderful. They wrote that part for me and it was a gift. I knew straight away how Bryn would be, I believe they wrote it with me in mind.

"As soon as I read it I could see and hear him."

Rob stars in the hit show alongside a host of other Welsh talents including Swansea actresses Joanna Page and Margaret John.

And Rob — who recorded the Comic Relief single with Tom Jones earlier this year — says his fellow cast members have become friends and even pop up in the audience at his stand-up gigs.

He said: "You often say there's a family feel with a cast when it's not the case, but with Gavin and Stacey it genuinely is. The other night, in fact, Adrian Scarborough who plays Pete came to see me perform and in the past James Corden, Ruth Jones and Joanna Page have all seen me perform as well. And Melanie Walter, who plays Gwen, came to one of my Swansea gigs.

"Ruth is one of my oldest friends — we were at school together, so working with her was really special. We always filmed it in Wales as well, which was great. We meet Smithy's mum and Nessa's dad. New things happen. I think it's as good as what's gone before."

The show's return to the small screen last week saw more than five million viewers tuning in. The third run is set to be the last, with writers Ruth and James saying they want to pursue other projects. And Rob admits he was sad to film the final episodes of the show that has boosted his profile to a new batch of fans.

He said: "I wasn't tearful, but I was quite down about it. I felt deflated.

"On the second series and the Christmas special, even when they had said they weren't going to make any more, I suspected they would. On the second series we knew we had a hit. But with the third run we knew it was the end.

"The ending they've got is very poignant. It was sad."

Rob Brydon Live, a recording of his stand-up show, is out now on DVD.