Ruth Jones (I)

Radio Times review

After some necessary spadework last week to set up the new series, now creator/star Ruth Jones pens one of the show's funniest ever episodes. Every scene brims with jokes, malapropisms ("Your dad is as strong as an egg!"), hilarious images and fruity phrasing. Aunty Brenda is in particularly searing form, struggling with her hippy daughter ("Me and 'er father split up when she was ten - she's been a road accident ever since"), questioning the integrity of the scales at Blubber Busters, and holding tense, tough negotiations with Dai about the launch of their new coach-hire company. Dai Davies, not Dai Cosh.

There's new blood, too: Sherlock star Yasmine Akram joins the cast as Jagadeesh and Tanisha's plain-speaking niece, while Jonathan Ross appears as himself in one of Stella's HRT-fuelled sex dreams.

The return of Ruth Jones's likeable but increasingly derivative comedy-drama about a single mum in small-town Wales. The house overflows with kids and grandkids while she trains to be a nurse; the ironing is backing up, and she's possibly having "the change". Meanwhile, Patrick Baladi's arrogant, recently divorced lawyer arrives in Pontyberry as the latest big-city-fish-out-of-water/obvious new love interest for Stella. They lock horns in a road-rage incident, ensuring they'll be doing it up against the Sharps built-in wardrobes by episode three.

Could this be third-season lucky-in-love for Welsh valley girl Stella? Ruth Jones is centre stage again in the warm-hearted comedy that returns tonight bathed in an optimistic glow. Stella's got herself a brilliant new job as a nurse and her fledglings are all back in the nest. The only thing that ails our Pontyberry lass is an acute case of singledom. Then again, a divorced lawyer (Patrick Baladi) has just pitched up next door, setting the scene for a spot of romcom sparring.

Radio Times review

Back into the light embrace of Pontyberry for a third series of Ruth Jones's comedy drama, which always manages to be comforting and inoffensive without being twee.

Stella (Jones herself) has long since moved on from the series two finale, when she said goodbye to the love of her life, Rob, because even he couldn't compete with her home town in the valleys and the people who live there.

Now she's training to be a nurse under a brisk sergeant-major of an instructor, and repeatedly arguing with a haughty new posh bloke she'll obviously end up sleeping with.

Emma applies for a job as a hairdresser, Aunty Bren's long-lost daughter returns, and Alan is told Little Alan must go on a diet. Basically nothing much happens, and it's delightful.

Actress-writer Ruth Jones is on a roll

Eager fans continue to speculate about a comeback for Gavin & Stacey. In an exciting development for the show's legions of supporters, Jones won't rule it out.

Was David Cameron behind honour for Ruth Jones?

Was the MBE for Ruth Jones, the star and co-creator of Gavin & Stacey, David Cameron's way of encouraging her to write a new series?

Tidy: In praise of Ruth Jones MBE

The late rise of Ruth Jones, who has been made an MBE, is a blessed relief. According to the prevailing rules of ageism and lookism, Jones should still be plugging away in supporting roles, typically as the large gobby sidekick which for years looked like the outer limit of her casting range.

Ruth Jones wins at Bafta Cymru awards

Best writer was Ruth Jones for comedy series Stella. Backstage she said: "I'm really surprised at how, like, in shock I am... I can't speak I'm so excited. The competition in the category was incredible... this is really exciting."