Gavin and Stacey star reveals Death in Paradise detective almost landed his role

Gavin and Stacey star Rob Brydon has opened up about the beloved sitcom as it returns for a final episode – and revealed that he almost passed on the role of his beloved character, Uncle Bryn. 

Chatting on Dish from Waitrose with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett OBE, the 59-year-old explained that he previously portrayed a character similar to Bryn in a Welsh show, Marion and Geoff. He explained: “At that stage in my life, about 2006, 2007, I was still thinking, ‘Oh, well, you know, I’ve got to be…’ I hadn’t started doing Would I Lie to You? 

“So, I was thinking, ‘Oh, but I want to be this actor who could play any part, and if I do this part…’ I think I just had a day when I woke up and I went, no, I’m just going to do the things I like.”  

He continued to explain that he then took on the presenting role on Would I Lie to You? And went on to get married and have two children, so he didn’t want to be away for long periods filming, saying though it looks glamorous “the reality is anything but”. 

He explained: “You are miles from home. You’re getting up at the crack of dawn. You don’t see your family. So, I wanted things that would keep me closer to home. And I knew that the script was… You know, just superb. So off we went and thank god I did. If I hadn’t, could you imagine?” 

Rob joked that he is often mistaken for Death in Paradise star Ben Miller, and hinted that he would have expected the star to be cast with Bryn if he had passed on the role, saying: “It’d be Ben Miller, wouldn’t it? It’d be Ben – I always get mistaken for, mistaken for Ben.”  

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He went on to tell the BBC how much the role meant to him, saying: “Of the roles I’ve played it is the most recognisable role. 

It’s probably the most loved project of anything I’ve ever done, and it just seems to grow in the time from finishing the series to making that first special, it just grew. So it means a huge amount to me.” 

Dish from Waitrose is available on all podcast providers