Ruth Jones confirms split with husband of 26 years as BBC Gavin and Stacey star issues statement
Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones and her producer husband David Peet have announced their separation after 26 years of marriage.
The couple, who wed in 1999, revealed they had parted ways 18 months ago and are now legally separated.
In a joint statement, they said: “We amicably went our separate ways 18 months ago and are now legally separated. We remain good friends.”
The 58-year-old actress and writer, who co-created the beloved BBC sitcom with James Corden, has been living in London since the split.
Her estranged husband has relocated to Canada, where the couple confirmed he is now in a new relationship.
Jones and Peet confirmed in their statement to PA news agency: “Since our separation, Ruth is living in London and David is living in Canada, where he is in a new relationship.”
The announcement comes just months after Jones’s triumph at the 2025 BAFTAs, where she won best female performance in a comedy for her portrayal of Nessa Jenkins in Gavin and Stacey.
The show’s finale, which aired on Christmas Day 2024, attracted 20 million viewers and featured her character’s wedding to Smithy, played by Corden.
Peet, who worked as an executive producer on two episodes of Gavin and Stacey according to his professional credits, has also been involved in productions including Stella, Borderlines and The Great Outdoors.
Jones rose to fame as the co-writer and star of Gavin and Stacey, appearing as Vanessa “Nessa” Jenkins across three series and three Christmas specials from 2007 to 2024.
At this year’s TV BAFTAs, she expressed her joy at winning, saying: “I’m not gonna lie, this is immense. I didn’t expect to win this.”
She reflected on her partnership with Corden, stating: “I love working with James Corden, I really do.
And I hope that we will carry on working together. I think we will. We will, because we just both like sitting in a room together.”
Beyond Gavin and Stacey, Jones has appeared in ITV drama Fat Friends, BBC sketch show Little Britain, BBC sitcom Saxondale, and BBC black comedy Nighty Night.
She also portrayed Carry On star Hattie Jacques in a BBC biopic and has recently been announced for a new BBC drama inspired by Jane Austen.
The Other Bennet Sister, an adaptation of Janice Hadlow’s novel, will see Jones star alongside Richard E Grant as Mr and Mrs Bennet.
The series, which promises to introduce new characters to the world of Pride and Prejudice, is currently filming in Wales and will air on BBC One and iPlayer next year.
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Jones was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2014 for her services to entertainment.