Gavin and Stacey star, Ruth Jones, has reprised her role as the loveable Vanessa ‘Nessa’ Jenkins in a new show on the BBC called Ruth and Steve: From Porthcawl With Love
21:00, 15 Dec 2025
Gavin and Stacey fans are in for a treat when Nessa, played, by Ruth Jones, returns to our screens(Image: PA)
Gavin and Stacey fans are in for a treat when Nessa, played, by Ruth Jones, returns to our screens tonight. The much-loved character, who stoles viewers’ hearts after finally marrying Smithy, played by James Corden, in the series finale last Christmas, has a whole host of fans across the country.
Ruth and James left us heartbroken when they insisted it was the end of the stellar series, which saw Ruth bag a BAFTA for Best Female Performance in a Comedy. However, Nessa makes a surprise appearance in a new show on the BBC on Monday, much to fans’ delight.
Ruth Jones, has reprised her role as the loveable Vanessa ‘Nessa’ Jenkins in a new show (Image: PA)READ MORE: First look as Ruth Jones transforms into Pride and Prejudice iconREAD MORE: Emma Willis pulls out of This Morning gig last minute after replacing Zoe Ball on Radio 2
Ruth And Steve: From Porthcawl With Love, sees the star – who stars in regency drama The Other Bennet Sister on the BBC next spring – taking fellow actor Steve Speirs around her home town on the Welsh coast.
Steve, whose TV credits include The Tuckers and Upstart Crow, meets Nessa when he explores the Coney Beach amusement park in the Welsh town in the Bridgend borough of South Wales.
Speaking at a screening of the programme in Porthcawl, Steve praised his pal for her ‘commitment to character’ saying: “I’d never acted with Nessa, and I think this is an absolute credit to the character that Ruth created, that when Ruth gets into all that gear, there’s a massive metamorphosis.
Steve, whose TV credits include The Tuckers and Upstart Crow, meets Nessa when he explores the Coney Beach amusement park(Image: PA)
“And when I went to act with that character, I just had this really wicked feeling, that I wasn’t acting with Ruth, like something else had taken over.”
Admitting he was “astonished” by the performance, he added: “I tried to respond in the way that anybody that wasn’t from that world would, you know, which is quite astonished by this character. It wasn’t like Ruth at all.”
The show, which airs tonight on BBC One Wales, follows the pair as they explore the seaside town, which is around 20 miles down the South Wales coast from Barry Island.
As Porthcawl celebrates its 200th birthday, Ruth reminisces about her childhood(Image: PA)
As Porthcawl celebrates its 200th birthday, Ruth reminisces about her childhood, sharing old home movies put together by her late father Richard. Speaking at the screening, she said: “My dad was really good at organising things, keeping records of things. When I watched them, I did find it incredibly emotional to see, to see my dad.
“It was a real privilege to have such a happy upbringing and to capture those memories. It was lovely also to be able to see Porthcawl back in the 60s and 70s captured on those videos.”
Ruth And Steve: From Porthcawl With Love will be broadcast on BBC One Wales on December 15(Image: PA)
During the programme, Steve also meets Ruth’s mother, siblings and two of her lifelong friends. However, the actress joked that some of this material had to be cut. She said: “He was asking my friends about what I was like as a teenager. But, you know, they were quite revealing.”
* Ruth And Steve: From Porthcawl With Love will be broadcast on BBC One Wales on December 15 at 9pm.
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