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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Lydia Spencer-Elliott

James Corden and Ruth Jones sign lucrative deal for Gavin and Stacey follow-up project

James Corden and Ruth Jones have reportedly signed a multi-million pound deal to work on their next joint projection after Gavin & Stacey concluded in December last year.

The comedy collaborators, who reprised their roles as Smithy and Nessa in the much-loved BBC series for its finale last Christmas, are believed to be working on a new 10 episode British series.

Corden and Jones are said to have signed a seven-figure deal with Apple TV+ to write and star in a new show, which will begin filming next year and be released sometime in 2027.

A source said the programme is set to be “uplifting, gentle and very funny” in the signature Corden and Jones style that viewers came to love on Gavin & Stacey.

“They wanted to bring something full of heart and warmth back to screens; water cooler moments for all the family,” the insider told The Sun.

“Naturally there was a lot of interest around the script and a major bidding war to land this production.But James already had an excellent relationship with Apple TV+.”

The source added that casting for the series is yet to begin but claimed that the show will focus on a new storyline that is unrelated to the characters from Gavin & Stacey.

Ruth Jones and James Corden have reportedly signed a seven-figure deal to begin work on their next project together (PA Wire)

The Independent has contacted Corden and Jones’s representatives for comment.

The conclusion to Gavin & Stacey became the UK’s most-watched scripted show across all broadcasters and streamers since records began in 2002, when it aired on Christmas Day last year.

The sitcom, which follows the heartwarming lives of the two families of Gavin and Stacey Shipman (Joanna Page and Mathew Horne), saw 12.3 million viewers tune in on Christmas Day alone, beating the 2019 special and making it the biggest Christmas Day overnight ratings since 2008.

At the 2025 Hay Festival of Literature and Arts in May, Jones and Corden said the much-loved programme is never coming back because they’re “too proud” of the existing episodes.

“It’s just absolutely the right decision,” Jones said of the series’s conclusion. “It’s been the most glorious journey, 17 years. We’re so lucky to have the friendships that we formed and the experiences together.”

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