Culture

Gavin and Stacey star heading to Port Talbot for special performance

29 Jul 2026 3 minute read

Oscar Hartland in Gavin and Stacey | Image: BBC

Amelia Jones

An actor from the cast of Gavin and Stacey is set to perform at a Neath Port Talbot pub after launching music career.

Oscar Hartland, who is known for playing Smithy (James Corden) and Nessa’s (Ruth Jones) son Neil the Baby in the hit BBC sitcom will perform a set in Neath Port Talbot venue Afan Ales on July 31.

The appearance follows his debut tour in October 2025, where he headlined The Bunkhouse in Swansea and Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff.

He has also spent the last couple of months performing across south Wales after releasing his single ‘Gold’ in January.

Hartland, who is originally from Caerphilly was just a few months old when he first started playing Neil the Baby in Gavin & Stacey.

For the 2019 Christmas special, Hartland who was then 10 years-old auditioned for the role of Neil the Baby and revealed later to Jones and the director that he was one of the original three babies used for the part

He returned again as a teenager for the final episode. His last appearance featured him playing Beatles classic Blackbird at his on-screen dad Smithy’s wedding.

In his book, When Gavin Met Stacey And Everything In Between, James Corden said he had lined it up for Hartland to sing.

He said: “In terms of getting permission to use the song, the BBC have a licensing agreement which is great for UK transmissions of music

“But I think The Beatles sit outside of that, which we didn’t know, and it’s so expensive if you want to use one of their songs.”

With the sitcom’s budget not covering the cost of paying for the track, Corden wrote to McCartney asking permission to use it.
He said: “I wrote just telling him that I felt this was a pivotal moment in the show and that I would never request anything if I thought it was going to be in any way derogatory.”

McCartney’s response was heart warming, Corden said: “He said in his email that he was so touched and honoured, and he would love nothing more than this to happen, and they’d do everything in their power to make sure it could, and then, within 20 hours, it was done, and we had clearance to use the song.”

The acoustic performance reduced the nation to tears, and was a stand-out moment of the episode that was watched by 19.1 million viewers.

You can see more from Hartland on his social media. His gig on Friday at Alan Ales is free to enter

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