Following the final episode of Gavin & Stacey on Christmas Day, Nessa has been confirmed to have one last hurrah before Ruth Jones leaves the character behind for good.
Gavin & Stacey: The Finale aired on BBC One, with fans treated to an emotional final episode of the beloved sitcom. However, Ruth, who plays titular character Stacey Shipman's best friend, will appear as her character on an unlikely project, which sees BBC Radio 4 honour the Shipping Forecast.
Marking 100 years of the BBC's Shipping Forecast, Radio 4 will air a special schedule on New Year's Day, which will see a number of celebrities read out the broadcast. The nautical bulletin has not only provided seafarers with weather reports and forecasts, but it's also been the catalyst for creatives over the years.
Among those influenced by the tranquil tones of the Shipping Forecast are poets Seamus Heaney and Carol Ann Duffy, as well as Radiohead and Jethro Tull. Britpop stars Blur released track This Is a Low, for which frontman Damon Albarn took inspiration from the ships.
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BBC)But for Nessa, it was her time working on the "high seas" that made the Forecast an important part of her life. Speaking about her upcoming cameo on the New Year's Day broadcast, Ruth Jones 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.”
Radio 4 controller and director of speech, Mohit Bakaya, 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.
“As well as providing crucial information for seafarers over the years, the Shipping Forecast is also a cherished ritual that distils the essence of Radio 4 for so many of our listeners. It is also a moment for those great, unsung heroes and heroines of the Radio 4 schedule – the continuity announcers – to shine. On January 1, we will celebrate our ‘national poem’ with a dedicated day of fascinating programmes for listeners from Bailey to Viking, Biscay to South Utsire and everywhere in between.”
With fans left desperate for more Gavin & Stacey after the show's final episode, bosses are hoping creators James Corden and Ruth Jones will write more for TV. But although the chance of more episodes is looking unlikely, Ruth and James are releasing a book together, called When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between: A Story Of Love And Friendship.Set to hit book shops in Autumn 2025, Ruth, 48, and James, 46, told fans: "We're so excited to be sharing the story behind the story of Gavin and Stacey. The show has played a huge part in our twenty-five-year friendship and we hope this book will give readers a fresh insight into how it all came about."
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