During her acceptance speech at the 2025 BAFTA TV Awards, Ms. Ruth Jones, visibly emotional, fought back tears as she paid tribute to her close friend and colleague, Mr. James Corden, following her win for Best Actress for her role in Gavin & Stacey. In her heartfelt remarks, Ms. Jones acknowledged Mr. Corden’s support and their shared journey, which she credited as instrumental in her success.
As she continued, Ms. Jones, in a lighthearted moment, teased their next collaborative project, hinting at future work together. This gesture added an optimistic tone to her otherwise emotional tribute, as she expressed gratitude for their enduring professional partnership and friendship.
At the 2025 BAFTA TV Awards, Ms. Ruth Jones, aged 58, was honored with the award for Female Performance in a Comedy for her portrayal of Nessa in Gavin & Stacey. Upon receiving the accolade, Ms. Jones, visibly humbled, took to the stage and delivered her acceptance speech in the voice of her iconic character. She expressed surprise at receiving the award, acknowledging that she had not anticipated the recognition.
In her remarks, Ms. Jones also paid tribute to her longtime friend and writing partner, Mr. James Corden, for their collaborative efforts over the years. As she concluded her speech, she hinted at future writing projects with Mr. Corden, suggesting that their professional partnership would continue in the future.
The comedy writers, Ms. Ruth Jones and Mr. James Corden, were also nominated for the P&O Cruises Memorable Moment Award for the iconic scene in Gavin & Stacey: The Finale, in which the character Mick stood up during Smithy’s wedding. This nomination further acknowledges their significant contributions to the industry.
It appears that the pair’s work is far from over, as Ms. Jones, who radiated elegance in an electric blue gown, expressed her admiration for their collaborative efforts within the entertainment sector. Upon accepting the award, Ms. Jones conveyed her surprise at the recognition, stating, ‘I really wasn’t expecting this, so I wanted to thank the wonderful cast.
Ms. Ruth Jones, upon receiving the award, expressed her gratitude towards the BBC, describing it as ‘such a fantastic institution,’ and she conveyed her pride in having worked with the corporation on numerous occasions. She further extended her heartfelt thanks to her ‘dear, kind, talented, and funny friend,’ Mr. James Corden, with whom she has shared a professional partnership for 17 years. Ms. Jones acknowledged that without Mr. Corden, the character Vanessa Shanessa Jenson would not have existed, and concluded her speech with, ‘I love you, James, I love writing with you, long may it continue.’
Later in the evening, when questioned about potential future projects, Ms. Jones confirmed, ‘Yeah, yeah, we will. We both sort of like just sitting in a room together. We do do a lot of napping. But we do write as well when we get going. And I just love working with him.’
The series Gavin & Stacey concluded with a feature-length festive finale on Christmas Day, drawing praise from fans who lauded the ‘perfect’ conclusion, 17 years after the series first aired. The finale saw the characters Smithy and Nessa, who had long been on-again, off-again lovers, finally declare their love for one another and marry, albeit with several complications along the way. The episode also included a five-year time jump, revealing that Smithy had accepted Nessa’s proposal from the 2019 Christmas Special.
The 2025 BAFTA Television Awards, presented by P&O Cruises, took place at the Royal Festival Hall at the Southbank Centre on Sunday. The prestigious event recognized excellence in television, with a number of celebrities receiving awards for their outstanding contributions to the medium.#newsafro_
