RUTH Jones is set to reprise her iconic role as Nessa Jenkins just days after the Gavin and Stacey final.
The actress will again take on the fan-favourite character’s strong Welsh accent and signature phrases for a fresh broadcasting segment, much to the delight of fans.
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Ruth’s character got her happy ending on the BBC One drama’s final ever episode, marrying James Corden‘s character Smithy in a show which saw more than 12 million Brits tune in on Christmas Day.
The last-ever episode of the treasured series spelled the end of Ruth and James’s programme forever – 17 years after it was first created.
Yet the Bridgend-born actress and comedian, 58, will take on the role of Neil the baby‘s mum one more time.
Nessa will soon be the voice of the Shipping Forecast, aired on BBC Radio 4, to celebrate the programme’s centenary on New Year’s Day.
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Talking of her new gig, Ruth said: “Nessa has got quite a colourful history and one of her jobs was on the high seas.
“The Shipping Forecast was always very important and useful to her.”
During the show’s plotline, Nessa was revealed to have had a variety of jobs.
As well as working on the high seas, the character had a variety of roles – which saw her working on the arcades at Barry Island to plush London department store Harrods.
She also took on jobs as varied as a bouncer, a driver for Gladys Knight and the Pips, and a news producer.
Not to mention a nanny for former This Morning hosts, Richard Madeley, 68, and Judy Finnigan, 78.
Ruth will now be joined by the likes of former Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh, Stephen Fry, Line Of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar, and sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur in her new BBC Radio 4 role.
Radio 4 controller Mohit Bakaya then said: “The Shipping Forecast is one of our national treasures.
“So I’m delighted that we are cracking a bottle against the hull to launch 100 years of the Shipping Forecast on the BBC with a special schedule of programming on New Year’s Day.”
Meanwhile, Ruth’s co-star Mat Horne, who plays protagonist Gavin Shipman, has revealed his next gig after the final.
He will be DJ-ing at Propaganda’s “alternative and indie party” in London on New Year’s Eve.
NEXT CHAPTER?
Gavin and Stacey’s Best Moments
With the news that the show is set to make an exciting return to screens, let’s take a look at some of the comedy programme’s biggest and best moments…
- Smithy and Rudi’s American Boy rap – No one will ever forget when James Corden and Sheridan Smith rapped perfectly word for word the Kanye West and Estelle hit American Boy as they walked across the car park on the phone to Gavin.
- Pam’s Vegetarian faux pas – Despite loving a cheesburger, Pam found herself caught up in a web of unexpected lies when she claimed to be Vegetarian. She is forced to keep up the secret throughout the entire show and uses hubby Mick to help her scoff meat. She is later rumbled when Stacey catches her in the act as she scoffs ham in the kitchen. Stacey says to her: “Is that ham, Pam!?… “I’ve seen you, Pam. A scotch egg here, a bit of bacon there, putting those regular sausages into the Linda McCartney box”.
- THAT fishing trip – It remains one of the biggest mysteries in Gavin and Stacey history as to just exactly what did happen on the ill-fated fishing trip. Bryn appears to be hiding a secret as to an occurance between him and his nephew Jason which has left relations fractures. Ness’ on-off boyfriend, Dave, is the only other person to know the whole truth. Bryn did appear to allude to him and Jason lying together naked to keep warm as he said to Dave: “We’re going to have this out, once and for all, man to man, you may know what happened, David, but you don’t know why it happened! It was freezing cold, it was! And when you are that cold…”
- Islands in the Stream – No one can ever forget the classic Karaoke performance of Islands in the Stream. Nessa and Bryn performed the track in front of all their nearest and dearest. It saw the whole pub burst into some line-dancing as they enjoyed a boozy night out.
- The Xmas special proposal – In 2019, fans were left overjoyed when the show made a comeback but it ended on the ultimate cliffhanger. Nessa asked Smithy if she would marry him as she finally laid bare her feelings for him. Fans were gutted as the show then cut straight to the credits as they never found out just how Smithy answered. Will all be revealed in the brand new episode?
The one-off Gavin and Stacey final episode, which aired at 9pm on Christmas Day, was confirmed as the last instalment of the drama.
The show first screened in May 2007, after three series and three Christmas specials.
Yet The Sun was first to report how BBC bosses “live in hope” of a spin-off.
Insiders have told The Sun how TV execs are keen to coax more Gavin and Stacey-related material from co-writers James and Ruth.
A source said: “It would be madness to close the door on such a hit.”
The spin-off could come in the form of a sitcom following warring couple Dawn and Pete, insiders said.
A TV source said: “James and Ruth are adamant this is the last of Gavin & Stacey. But, when a programme achieves such results, execs will always hope for more.
“At the end of the day, ratings talk and it would be madness to close the door on such a hit forever when fans loved it so much.
“Bosses have had casual discussions about whether options like a Pete and Dawn spin-off could work.
“They were always more separate to the main group and a new universe could be developed which didn’t involve any of the core cast, so James and Ruth’s involvement could be a little different.”
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