Book info

• Title When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between
• Author Ruth Jones
• Year 2025
• Genre Non-Fiction

When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between is the story of how Ruth and James turned their little show about ordinary life into a full-on cultural phenomenon. As they recount the highs and lows they faced along the way, Ruth and James explore the journey of their real-life friendship, the making of the show and the relationship between Nessa and Smithy that had the nation glued to their screens. Full of revelations and anecdotes to working scripts and never-before-seen photographs including: The story behind Nessa’s iconic look. The original treatment for the show. And maybe pictures from that fishing trip... This one-of-a kind memoir takes you behind the scenes of one of the most iconic and beloved shows in British television history. Here are the details of what’s occurred every step of the way, from initial pitch to final day of filming, and all the love that followed.

Thoughts

I was bound to read this one given my obsession with the TV show under discussion, and this is a great oral history of it, told by the creators, writers and stars. It’s in the form of a conversation, or as though they are both sitting there by the fire, telling you how everything came to be, each taking turn and adding bits here and there. I’m not sure there was anything hugely new in there but it was still joyous to read and revel in this slice of British televisual history some more.

Rating: 5 / 5