Just a few days ago, 12 million viewers watched the latest episode of Gavin and Stacey, but Ruth Jones is already reprising her role as Nessa Jenkins.
The actress will once again don Nessa’s trademark black wig and leather skirt to read Radio 4’s Shipping Forecast as the show celebrates its centenary on the BBC on New Year’s Day.
Jones, 58, said: ‘Nessa has quite a colorful history and one of her jobs was offshore. Shipping forecasting was always very important and useful to her.’
During this year’s final episode of Gavin and Stacey, Smithy, played by James Corden, 46, stopped Nessa from returning to work on the ships by running towards Southampton dock.
He proposed to Welsh Nessa and the final scene featured a touching montage of their wedding and the couple finally achieving their happily ever after.
The episode attracted the highest Christmas ratings since 2008 with an average audience of 12.3 million viewers.
It’s the first time a Gavin and Stacey character has returned, despite Corden and Jones promising not to write another episode of the hit comedy.
However, there is a new documentary about the show, titled Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell, airing on New Year’s Day at 7 p.m.
Ruth Jones will reprise her role as Nessa Jenkins in Gavin and Stacey
It’s the first time a Gavin and Stacey character has returned, despite Corden and Jones promising not to write another episode of the hit comedy.
The cast of Gavin and Stacey: The Finale which aired on Christmas Day. The episode earned the highest Christmas ratings since 2008 with an average audience of 12.3 million.
The creative duo also have a book about the show coming out next fall called When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between: A Story Of Love And Friendship.
Despite ruling out a return to the series, Corden has said he wants to work with Jones again.
He said: “We don’t know if we have another idea in us, but I can honestly say that if we didn’t try and even explore the idea of writing together, then I would be very disappointed.”
Line Of Duty actors Julie Hesmondhalgh, Stephen Fry and Adrian Dunbar, and sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur were also among those who marked the first broadcast of the Met Office forecast on the BBC in October 1925.
Famous faces will drop by throughout the day to share historic shipping forecasts along with their personal memories.
Radio 4 controller Mohit Bakaya said: ‘The shipping forecast is one of our national treasures. So I’m delighted we’re smashing a bottle against the hull to launch 100 years of Shipping Forecast on the BBC with special programming on New Year’s Day.’
The shipping forecast is prepared by the Met Office on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
This year marked its centenary, having first been heard on January 1, 1924 as a weather bulletin called Weather Shipping.
He moved to the BBC a year later.