PRIDE OF STACE!
Inside hit sitcom’s house, where fans roll up by the Dave Coaches load
IN HIT show Gavin & Stacey, it’s the street where Gwen, Doris and Uncle Bryn live but in real life the street is home to 65-year-old Glenda Kenyon. Glenda lives at number 47 Trinity Street, Barry, which has been used as Stacey’s family home and featured in almost every episode of the award-winning show, which attracted 10.25 million viewers with its 2010 finale.
This week it’s been back in camera shot as the much-loved sitcom returned to film a Christmas special with James Corden’s Smithy, Ruth Jones’ Nessa, Rob Brydon’s Uncle Bryn and Joanna Page’s Stacey spotted on the doorstep.
Shortly before the first season of the show aired in 2006, each resident in the street received letters asking if they’d be interested in giving up their house for filming.
Glenda, who has lived there for 32 years, said: “I’m dyslexic, so I phoned the production company to ask them what the letter said, and once they told me I said I was happy for them to film in my house.
“They said they’d be in touch and came to visit the house four times. Each time I had to be away from the house and on the fourth time they told me they wanted to use my house. I didn’t think much of it at the time, I was just shocked they
wanted my house. I’d say delighted, to be honest.”
Glenda said the producers chose the well-known Trinity Street location partly because of its great views over the old docks, as well as Barry Island.
She said she stayed in hotels while the crew were filming inside her home and nd has only ever r met one of f the stars, R u t h Jones, who p la y s Nessa, and her husband.
“When n the crew w came they’d d take pictures of my y home and d make sure e everything g was put back k in place when it was s done. They y were really y good.” I was
Glenda said it was a “special moment” when she saw her house on TV for the first time.
“I said ‘that’s my lamp’ and ‘that’s my room’ and that’s when it hit me. It’s really changed my life, to be honest. It’s always just been a normal house to me.”
Glenda said she was forced to retire due to arthritis and back problems 19 years ago after spending 25 years working on an assembly line making fruit machines. It led to depression and Glenda said she forgot how to communicate with people. But she said her life changed thanks to Gavin & Stacey and her house has become a tourist spot for thousands of people from across the world. In the last 10 years, Glenda said, more than 28,000 people have visited her home. “I’m so grateful for all this, it’s really changed my life. People come from all over the world to see the set and they’re y so excited. They as ask me q questions ab about certa tain episo sodes and I do don’t know be because I wa wasn’t there wh when they we were filming ing. ““I have coa coaches full of people arr arriving and I enj enjoy it. Sometim times it does ge get a little too m much and I ne need my own sp space but I’ll ha have people ta taking pictu tures outside, arriving on hen nights, it’s all sorts.
“People have sent me gifts and cards as a thank-you. I don’t do it for the money, I do it because it makes me happy and it makes others happy.”
Outside number 47 you will see a few different signs on the window. One says people can take pictures quietly and the other says to knock between 12pm and 7pm. Glenda said she had to do this due to the large number of visitors arriving at her door.
Glenda has a table full of pictures and cards with thank-you messages on them. She also has a 250page A4 book full of messages that people have written, including visitors from as far away as Australia.
Unfortunately Glenda has never featured in the show.
“I was meant to be an extra in the scene and there was a helicopter that flew above. Sadly they never got me in the scene but it was still an amazing experience to be on the beach with all the stars.”
Glenda’s front room is full of various Gavin & Stacey memorabilia which has been kindly signed by the cast.
To many, 47 Trinity Street is the house famous for Gwen’s omelettes and Doris stopping by, but to Glenda it is a normal house that has brought so much joy to her life, and her home, for the past 10 years.