Gavin & Stacey star Ruth Jones has officially ended her 26-year marriage to producer David Peet, who has since relocated to Canada and begun a new relationship. Despite the emotional break-up, the pair insist they remain on good terms.
The 58-year-old comedy actress, best known for playing Nessa Jenkins in Gavin & Stacey, revealed that she and David Peet had actually parted ways 18 months ago and are now legally separated. In a joint statement, they shared: “We amicably went our separate ways 18 months ago and are now legally separated. We remain good friends.”
David, who has since started dating someone new and now lives in Canada, had three children from a previous marriage, and Ruth had embraced the role of stepmother. Although she never had biological children, she once said she loved “the joys of motherhood without the pain of childbirth.”
The couple originally met while filming a BBC pilot in the 1990s — while David was still married. Ruth later admitted their relationship began during an “overlap”, calling affairs “painful” and not something to be proud of.
Now based in London, Ruth remains single and has thrown herself into work. She’s set to star as Mrs Bennet in a new BBC adaptation of The Other Bennet Sister, acting opposite Richard E. Grant. It marks a drastic transformation from her iconic Nessa role, swapping leather boots for bonnets and corsets.
Ruth, who co-created Gavin & Stacey with James Corden, enjoyed a triumphant return to screens in 2024 with a Christmas Day finale that drew in 21 million viewers. She recently won Best Female Comedy Performance at the TV BAFTAs.
Though her marriage has ended, Ruth’s career continues to flourish – and her new role signals a fresh chapter for the much-loved star.
