Ruth Jones, known for her role in “Gavin & Stacey,” alongside Blur’s Damon Albarn, will read the Met Office’s Shipping Forecast. This forecast provides marine weather updates for the UK and its surroundings. Jones is set to make her final appearance as the character Nessa on BBC Radio 4’s sitcom on New Year’s Day, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the weather service.
Jones noted that Nessa has a rich background, including a history of work at sea, making the Shipping Forecast relevant to her character. This announcement follows the much-discussed finale of “Gavin & Stacey,” which aired on Christmas Day. The episode featured key moments, including Smithy, played by James Corden, pursuing Nessa and proposing to her on a boat.
In addition to Jones and Albarn, the Shipping Forecast will feature contributions from notable personalities such as Stephen Fry and Adrian Dunbar. The Shipping Forecast has historical significance, beginning as a weather bulletin in 1924 before becoming part of the BBC’s offerings the following year.
Fans of “Gavin & Stacey” have expressed their admiration for the sitcom’s finale, which achieved the highest Christmas Day viewership in over a decade, drawing in about 12.3 million viewers. The script for this finale had been kept under wraps since reports of it surfaced earlier in the year, with filming taking place from September to October.