David Davies said the Gavin and Stacey audition completed 'an epic day'
Olympic silver medallist David Davies has a new goal - a part in his favourite TV series Gavin and Stacey.
The swimmer was put in touch with the comedy's star and co-writer Ruth Jones a few hours after his gruelling 10km open water event in Beijing,
Jones gave him a brief "audition" on BBC Radio 5 Live and invited him on location for the Christmas show when it is filmed in his home town of Barry.
Davies said he was a "massive fan" and it had completed an "epic day".
Porthcawl-born Jones, who plays Nessa in the award-winning series, congratulated Davies, saying she was "really proud" of his achievements.
Talking about the BBC3 show, silver medallist Davies, dubbed Dai Splash in Wales, said: "When it was first released, I was bigging it up to everyone. My acting skills aren't brilliant but I'd love a cameo role. I'm trying my best.
"If there was Christmas special, I'd love a walk on part. I've got the Barry accent down to a tee and I'm a local lad."
The show, which features the Essex - south Wales romance between Gavin from Billericay and Stacey from Barry, has been a runaway success.
The BBC3 show beat the likes of Strictly Come Dancing and Britain's Got Talent to the audience award, voted for by the public, in this year's Baftas.
During the interview Jones insisted on getting Davies on the 'casting couch' and he had to act out a role, walking into the arcade and meeting Jones's character Nessa.
Ruth Jones and James Corden won a Bafta for Gavin and Stacey
Davies was pipped at the post by just 1.5 seconds by Dutchman Maarten van der Weijden, in the men's 10km swim.
But landing an opportunity to appear in Gavin and Stacey had made it an "epic" day, he said, adding: "This is the best thing that's happened today."
"It's the simple things that make you happy, Olympic medals are one thing but doing this is brilliant."
Jones told him: "We're there (in Barry) in October so come and say hello to us when we're filming and we'll see what we can do, darling."
Bookmark with:
What are these?