Entertainment
Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page quits acting as she looks forward to career change: ‘I just find it more interesting’
It seems unlikely the show will be back anytime soon (Picture: BBC)
Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page has explained why she’s looking to quit acting as she moves into new TV roles.
Joanna is best known to many as Stacey Shipman from the hit BBC sitcom, which returned in 2019 for a Christmas special.
Joanna, who is currently pregnant with her fourth child, admitted she is looking to stick to presenting whilst she still has a young family.
Speaking to The Mirror, Joanna said: ‘I really enjoy presenting and it works a lot better with a family as you don’t have to go away for weeks on end.
‘For the first six months after I had Eva, I was away working filming two shows back to back. I had my mum looking after her on set but it was so tough as all I wanted to do was spend time with my new baby.’
Joanna will front ITV’s The Pet Show with Dermot O’Leary when it starts this weekend, which sees the pair meet a host of animals from across the country, including some with celebrity owners.
Joanna will host The Pet Show with Dermot O’Leary (Picture: ITV)
The star has also recently been seen hosting opposite Melanie Sykes on BBC’s Shop Well For Less.
She explained why she has been enjoying presenting so much, adding: ‘Also, I just find presenting a lot more interesting. You’re always doing something different and I love just being myself and chatting to people.’
Joanna is married to former Emmerdale star James Thornton, and the pair already have three children – eight-year-old daughter Eva, and sons Kit, six, and Noah, four.
The cast returned for a Christmas special in 2019, watched by over 20 million fans (Picture: BBC)
But it seems despite not being keen to return to acting roles, she’ll make an exception for Gavin and Stacey.
Fans were taken aback when they were given the news of the Christmas special which aired nearly two years ago and have since been begging creators, James Corden and Ruth Jones, for more after being left on a cliffhanger.
Joanna is just as desperate to ‘know what Smithy (James Corden) said at the end’ as we are.
More: Gavin and Stacey
Joanna explained: ‘After the third series ended we were told, “this is it, there won’t be any more” so it was such a complete shock.
‘I’d expect if it was ever going to be on TV again that getting another phone call out of the blue is what would happen.’
The Pet Show will start on Sunday, October 31 at 5.35PM on ITV and ITV Hub.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE : Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury ‘move out of flat straight away’ after £800,000 burglary
