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SMITHY & JONES
James Corden and Ruth Jones hold mini Gavin and Stacey reunion as he admits fears ahead of return to London stage
The pair were also joined by several other members of the Gavin & Stacey show
Oh! What’s occurin’ here, then?
Gavin & Stacey stars James Corden and Ruth Jones, who play Smithy and Nessa in the BBC sitcom, publicly reunited for the first time since news of their next Christmas special leaked last month.
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It came as he supported her at the press night of her new musical, Sister Act, at the Dominion Theatre in London’s West End.
Their sitcom co-stars Rob Brydon, Alison Steadman, Melanie Walters and Adrian Scarborough were also in attendance — the first time most of the cast have been seen together since the 2019 Christmas special.
But before the possible on-screen comeback in December, James will also be taking to the stage. While Ruth is playing a Welsh Mother Superior in the West End, James will appear in political play The Constituent opposite Anna Maxwell Martin at The Old Vic from June to August.
In an exclusive chat, James said: “I’m nervous, very nervous. We don’t start rehearsals for quite a few weeks yet. I think it’s May and then we open in June.”
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Last year James called time on his eight-year stint in the US as host of The Late, Late Show, explaining that he and his TV producer wife Julia Carey felt it better for their three children to be raised in the UK.
On settling back into life in London, James said: “It’s lovely to be home. Is it weird being back? I think all life is weird. It doesn’t matter where you are.”
Laughing and joking
He added: “There are a million things I do miss about America, but I am very happy to be back.”
One perk of being home is that he is able to reconnect with his castmates from Gavin & Stacey, which first aired in 2007 — although the lead stars Mathew Horne and Joanna Page weren’t there on Thursday.
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An onlooker said: “James, Adrian and Rob were keen to celebrate into the night.
"They headed out into Soho and made a beeline for 100 Wardour Street where an official afterparty was being held.
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“James’ date for the night was his mum so he didn’t go wild but he made sure he was there for at least an hour. They all looked made up to be together again and were laughing and joking.”
But they are all remaining coy about what the future holds.
Melanie, who plays Stacey’s mum Gwen West, told me: “It would be lovely, but I don’t know anything. That’s up to James and Ruth. I’d be the last to know, anyway.”
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