PETA has urged ‘Gavin and Stacey’ writers James Corden and Ruth Jones to make Pam a vegan for the series finale.
PETA has appealed to ‘Gavin and Stacey’ writers James Corden and Ruth Jones to make Pam a vegan for the series finale
The beloved BBC sitcom is set to make a return this year for one last festive episode, and will see 77-year-old Alison Steadman reprise her role as Pamela Shipman, who has a history of pretending to go meat-free in an effort to avoid being known as ‘Three Steaks Pam’.
Now, the organisation - which stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - has called on the writers to ensure the character properly makes the switch to a plant-based diet for her final outing, insisting the choice would end the series on a “wonderful note”.
In an open letter to James, 45, and Ruth, 57, PETA’s Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen wrote: “Before her brief ‘vegetarian’ stint, Pam worried she’d be known as ‘Three Steaks Pam’, and we understand why she’d be embarrassed by that moniker.
“Raising and killing for animals for food is cruel.
“Conversely, by adopting the nickname, ‘Three Tofu Blocks Pam’, the character would be a champion for animals and the planet -ditching animal-derived foods spares the lives of nearly 200 living, feeling beings every year while lowering individual carbon footprints by as much as 75 per cent.
“She’d also be at [a] decreased risk of suffering from stroke, heart disease, some cancers, diabetes and other ailments. Plus, vegans are, on average, up to nine kilograms lighter than adult meat-eaters an aspect we know would align well with Pam’s priorities."
The organisation insisted Pam would still be able to tuck into a "well lush" meal over the festive season.
Elisa continued: “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 turkey 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”.
After the announcement for the finale, Alison said she was excited to return as Pam for one final outing, though admitted getting the cast together - which includes Mathew Horne, Joanna Page, Larry Lamb and Rob Brydon - could be “very difficult” due to their busy schedules.
She told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “They are extremely busy people. Finding the time to put another show together is very difficult.
“These things take months and months. You develop it, you change it, and then you have another idea and so on. It’s quite a long process. And then you’ve got to get the actors free.”
Tagged in James Corden Ruth Jones Alison Steadman