Gavin & Stacey legends' new TV show reveals Ted Lasso and Harry Potter favourites as guest stars

Hannah Waddingham, James McAvoy and Jim Broadbent are set to guest star in The Choir, a new Apple TV comedy from Gavin & Stacey creators James Corden and Ruth Jones.

The eight-episode series follows siblings Ben (Corden) and Lisa (Jones), who have been estranged for several years, with the former moving abroad while the latter settles down in their small English hometown.

An unfortunate event prompts Ben's return to the life he'd worked hard to abandon.

Deadline first reported the casting, with the starry trio joining an ensemble that already includes Tom Davis (The Reluctant Vampire), Rosie Sheehy (Pillion), Susan Brown (Falling), Jason Watkins (McDonald & Dodds) and David Harewood (Pierre).

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Alexandria Riley (Silo), Sylvestra Le Touzel (Intelligence), Gary Lamont (Rivals), Emily Lloyd-Saini (Juice) also star in the hotly anticipated project, among others.

The newly announced guests bring even more star-power to The Choir, with Corden and Jones clearly being highly sought-after collaborators following the staggering success of their Gavin & Stacey reunion specials.

Waddingham's background is in theatre, but she became a global name for her star-making turn on-screen in Apple TV's own Ted Lasso, where she played Richmond football club owner Rebecca Welton.

Meanwhile, McAvoy is known for acclaimed turns in The Last King of Scotland and Atonement, as well as fan-favourite sci-fi and fantasy work in X-Men, Split and His Dark Materials.

Lastly, screen legend Broadbent earned a new generation of fans as Professor Horace Slughorn in the original Harry Potter films. The role followed earlier credits in Iris, Moulin Rouge!, Bridget Jones's Diary and Gangs of New York.

The Choir is expected to premiere on Apple TV next year, with expectations high following the colossal ratings of Gavin & Stacey's Christmas Day 2024 finale, which drew an audience of 19.1 million people within seven days of broadcast.

The Choir is coming soon to Apple TV. You can sign up to Apple TV for a seven-day free trial.

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Authors

David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.