Ruth Jones hints Gavin & Stacey could return

Tuesday 14th January 2014, 4:51pm

Gavin & Stacey. Image shows from L to R: Smithy (James Corden), Stacey (Joanna Page), Gavin (Mathew Horne), Nessa (Ruth Jones). Copyright: Baby Cow Productions

Ruth Jones has hinted that Gavin & Stacey, the hit sitcom co-created with James Corden, could return one day.

Asked by the Radio Times, "Do you think you'll join forces with your Gavin & Stacey writing partner James Corden again?", the comedy star replied "Definitely. We haven't any concrete plans but we will [write together again] at some stage. It might be a Gavin & Stacey special or it might be a film..."

Corden has previously said much the same. Talking in July 2012 about making more of the popular comedy series, he said: "It would be a crime not to. It's a great show; writing with Ruth is a gift. I definitely plan on doing some more."

Gavin & Stacey, which followed the long distance relationship between a young couple, one from Wales, one from Essex, and the adventures of their very different friends and families, was a huge hit for the BBC. The show started life on BBC Three in 2007 but built up such a following that by the time it concluded on BBC One in January 2010, it had over 10 million viewers.

More than 14,000 people signed an online petition calling for the sitcom to be revived after the final episode, and it has since been revealed that Prime Minister David Cameron is a "huge fan" and even reportedly personally urged executives to make another series.

Gavin & Stacey featured Mathew Horne, Joanna Page, Alison Steadman, Larry Lamb, Melanie Walters and Rob Brydon alongside the writers.

It should be noted the idea of a special or another series regularly crops up in the press, with each time one or more of the stars either fuelling the speculation or stating no more will be made.

This week's comment from Ruth Jones contradicts what she said last year. In June she told The Telegraph: "It's just not happening. I can say with 99.9 per cent certainty that we will not write any more episodes. It's sad in some ways, and especially for people who loved the show so much, but it is great to have it remembered as fondly as it is, and we wouldn't change anything about that legacy."

Last year, the Fox network in America screened a re-make of Gavin & Stacey called Us & Them. However, reportedly due to the poor quality of the scripts, executives axed the show mid-season, with only six of the planned 13 episodes filmed.

Stella. Stella (Ruth Jones). Copyright: Tidy Productions

Jones was talking to The Radio Times to promote Stella, her comedy drama set in the Welsh valleys. Series 3 starts on Sky1 on the 24th January. It sees her character, who is sporting a new hair colour (pictured), with love interest in the form of her new next door neighbour, an English lawyer called Michael Jackson (played by Patrick Baladi).

Discussing her hair colour, Jones told the magazine: "It's a way of showing time has moved on. I'm back to brunette now and feel I'm myself again. I don't know if blondes have more fun, but they certainly need a lot more conditioner!"

Talking about her favourite television shows in the interview, she said: "I thought Last Tango In Halifax was brilliant. I wish I'd written it." However, she is less of a fan of reality TV, saying: "I can't think of anything worse than watching The Only Way Is Essex."

Jones confirmed to The Radio Times that she went to school with her Gavin & Stacey co-star Rob Brydon saying: "We've stayed friends ever since. We used to be in school shows together: Sky Masterson and Adelaide in Guys And Dolls, Billy Bigelow and Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel."

The writer and actress was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list. Speaking at the time, she said: "I had no idea it was coming. I just came home one night, opened the post and there it was: this letter telling me I was being put forward for it and being really strict about not telling anyone. And I'm quite obedient. So I didn't. Except my husband who's really proud. And my dad, who's beside himself with excitement."

It should be noted that if Ruth Jones and James Corden do indeed decide to work on another Gavin & Stacey script, there may be a wait. Both stars have various projects in the pipeline. Corden is currently busy filming a new series of A League Of Their Own and is planning Series 2 of comedy thriller The Wrong Mans.

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