Gavin and Stacey’s ‘Neil the Baby’ star wants to spend his TV paycheck on career change

Virgin Radio

6 Jul 2023, 14:07

Neil the Baby was an unforgettable addition to Gavin & Stacey, and despite not saying a word, one of the actors who played the adorable child has revealed they still got a pretty penny for being on set. 

Oscar Hartland, now 14, played the son of Nessa (Ruth Jones) and Smithy (James Corden) in the BBC sitcom. He was one of three babies they picked to play Neil, and was also brought back in the Christmas special in 2019. 

His family were put in charge of the TV paycheck he earned while on the iconic series, and now, he’s detailed to Metro how if he had his way, he’d use the money to pursue an entirely different career. 

Oscar explained: “If I could crack the safe open then I’d buy a recording studio.”

Mum Kirsty, who was in the interview, quickly quipped: “You may have to record a few more episodes to afford that.”

The question on everyone's minds when it comes to Gavin Stacey is usually whether we’ll ever find out if Nessa and Smithy will get married following THAT massive cliffhanger in 2019. 

When asked if he’d come back for another go as Neil the Baby, Oscar replied: “I think it would be cool. If they wanted me to do it I would do it.

“Neil should have a dark turn. He has always been very likeable, so that would be fun.”

Oscar is currently competing on The Voice Kids, and impressed three judges, Pixie Lott, Danny Jones and Ronan Keating, but the teen singer eventually chose McFly’s Danny as his mentor. 

While he’s off living out his dreams of being a musician, Oscar still gets the occasional Gavin & Stacey joke from time to time. 

When asked if his school friends often poke fun at his time in Barry/Billericay, the young star said: “They sometimes call me Neil the baby. I don’t mind it. They are also always asking me if there’s going to be another Gavin and Stacey too, but I don’t know.”

Meanwhile, Oscar’s Nessa co-star Ruth popped into The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with cinch to chat about her new book, Love Untold, and spilled which Gavin and Stacey questions she always gets asked. 

When speaking to Chris about the questions that fans ask the most, she revealed “There are two. One is, ‘What happened on the fishing trip?’”

This, of course, relates to an awkward plot point involving Jason (Robert Wilfort) and his Uncle Bryn (Rob Brydon) which is nearly - but never quite - revealed on multiple occasions in the show.

Regarding another question she is asked all the time, Ruth said: “The other is, ‘Is there going to be any more Gavin and Stacey?’”

Whilst the show’s co-creator didn’t offer up the answer to either of these questions while chatting to Chris, she has previously indicated that there won’t be any further episodes of Gavin & Stacey.