Rob Brydon has defended his Gavin and Stacey colleague James Corden following publicised criticisms which have surfaced over the last few years.
Brydon, 59, has broken his silence on the subject, stating he is "hugely fond" of Corden, 45.
Corden and Ruth Jones recently delighted Gavin and Stacey fans by announcing one final episode of the BBC sitcom was in the works and will air this Christmas.
While fans of the show continue to enjoy it, Corden has come under fire a lot in recent years. The Late Late Show made a big name for himself across the pond but has occasionally been accused of being "arrogant" and "rude".
Welsh star Brydon stars in the comedy as the beloved Uncle Bryn, and has opened up on negative reports surrounding Corden.
"The James Corden I know is not the person I sometimes see being reported on," he admitted.
Speaking to The Times, the actor continued: "He gets a lot of stick. I’m hugely fond of him.
"I'd never heard of him when we met on a show in 2002, but I vividly remember saying to myself, 'Oh, I’ve got to pull my socks up here. This kid is really good.'"
Corden and co-star Jones, who both also write the series, announced earlier this month the show would return Christmas after a five-year hiatus.
The comedy ran from 2007 to 2010, with a few Christmas specials hitting screens later, but fans were left on a huge cliffhanger following 2019 episode after Nessa Jenkins, played by Jones, proposed to Corden's character Smithy.
Brydon appeared alongside Corden in Gavin and Stacey
BBC
Ever since, fans have hoped for another instalment to find out the fate of the two favourites, but began to lose hope as the years went on with no news of a revival.
Hype surrounding the show is so high that animal rights group Peta has been in touch with Corden with a suggestion for the upcoming episode.
One of the ongoing jokes of the series was how Pam (Alison Steadman) had pretended to be a vegetarian after wrongly assuming her daughter-in-law Stacey's (Joanna Page) family weren't meat-eaters.
The charity recently requested the character reveal she is now a vegan in the final instalment.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
It was revealed earlier this year the series would conclude with a final episode at Christmas
Getty
One of the memorable episodes sees Pam concerned about become known as "Three Steaks Pam" after she substitutes her food for additional steaks for a diet.
Referencing this, Peta has suggested Pam becomes "Three Tofu Blocks Pam" and tuck into a meat-free Christmas dinner.
A letter written to the show's writers from Peta Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen reads: "By making Pam vegan for the finale, you'll ensure that – whether or not she gets 'drunk, drunk' this Christmas – she'll enjoy a 'well lush' spread while sparing clever pigs, curious turkeys, and industrious fish suffering.
"This act of compassion promoting a better tomorrow for everyone would be a wonderful note on which to end such a beloved series."
