When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between: A Story of Love and Friendship

by Ruth Jones, James Corden

336 pages, Hardcover

Published October 9, 2025

About the author

Jones is a Welsh television actress and writer known for her work on shows such as Gavin & Stacey and Stella.

Note: There are multiple writers with this name.

Reviews

[Lauren Elkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

When all said and done, cracking it was. Absolutely lush.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is my favourite audiobook I’ve ever listened to! It’s funny, interesting, heartwarming, and although it’s ‘behind the scenes’ stories on the creation and making of Gavin and Stacey, it’s really a love letter between James and Ruth and their friendship. Their love for each is paramount, and I know (especially here in the UK) James Corden gets a lot of stick, but he comes across really well in this, and he and Ruth have created something amazing with the show. I loved it when Ruth kept slipping into Nessa’s voice, the clips from the show of Uncle Bryn, and all the insights into how G&S came to be. I have the book too so it was great to follow along with the images, transcripts, and notes that they have also included in that. Really loved this and definitely recommend if you’re a Gavin and Stacey fan. Tidy!

[Em ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me immediately want to binge the show for the 1 millionth time! 🥹❤️

[Chelsea Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me very emosh listening to this!

[Joey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely lovely read. Completed in just two sittings alongside the audiobook. Both versions offer something unique, whether it's excerpts of scripts that didn't make the cut or Ruth and James' inability to read verbatim without going off on delightful tangents, not to mention the surprise bonus chapter featuring voice notes from members of the cast.

Gavin & Stacey was a huge part of my life and it's truly joyous to get such a comprehensive insight to its formation, to have some light shed on those messy in-between years, and to see up-close how this little show built and mended relationships. The love Ruth and James have for this project and each other is the sort of thing most writers only dream of.

It's been a privilege to invest in this world and these characters, and all this talk has got me in the mood for a rewatch, so that's what I'm going to do now. Alrigh'? Tidy.

[Ashleigh Kirkwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this so much 🥺 I genuinely couldn’t put this book down and read it within one day, I now need to rewatch Gavin & Stacey for the millionth time 🩷

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my Christ...this was so lush and took me straight back to Trinity Street, Barry Island, and I'll tell you for why...

I absolutely adore Gavin and Stacey and along with many others was gutted when it finally came to an end last Christmas.

Ruth and James tell the story of how they created the characters, the storylines, including Charles and Camilla, Dave Coaches' relationships, and the infamous bog brush, all in their inimitable style, with Nessa and Smithy gradually becoming the stars of the show.

When all said and done, reading the book was crackin' and brought back all those amazing storylines, the characters, and THAT fishing trip!

Tidy.

[Jessica Osell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tidy. I likes it a lot I do. I laughed out loud, cried and this read was like a comforting hug in a book! Would 100% recommend listening to the Audio 🎧

[Beth Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t recommend this as an audiobook enough, Gavin & Stacey has my heart ❤️

[Emma Wickens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gavin & Stacey has my heart forever

[Tom Cullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed how the audiobook was more like a podcast than a book. However, they do speak to each other like the cringy loved up couple in the back of your year 8 Spanish class.

[Bethan · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s no show quite like Gavin and Stacey and I love it with my whole heart

[Clarabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was perfection on audio. Funny, moving and insightful. This did not feel like two people reading a book to me at all: this felt like two lifelong friends getting together to reminisce. Listening to this book has made me want to binge the series again from the start and I will no doubt listen to the book again at some point.

[Gem · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t usually rate autobiography/memoir books because how can I rate someone’s true story? But with this book, I feel okay rating it as it’s not about them so much personally as it is about the show they made together. Although there are slight moments of more personal touches that played into the timeline of the story and tv show coming together, overall the book follows the production of Gavin and Stacey the tv show, from start to finish.

I think the way the book was written physically makes a lot of sense, not only for the nature of the book but also for Ruth and James. It also made the book very easy to get through and to follow along with. The only downside for me is that the things mentioned all seemed sort of ‘obvious’… I’m not sure what word I am looking for here but what I mean is that there wasn’t really anything that took me by surprise. There wasn’t really a shock factor. And thats okay because maybe there wasn’t any of that in the process of making the show. But it meant that generally, whilst it was interesting to read, there wasn’t really anything groundbreaking about it.

I loved that they included pictures from production, behind the scenes, and the appendix of all of Nessa’s escapades in full was a great touch to read, with all of the name drops in one place.

Definitely a recommend if you are a fan of Gavin and Stacey!

[Libby Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy, enjoyable read that gave me real insight into one of the UK’s most iconic comedy partnerships. I absolutely loved it.

The book offers a behind-the-scenes look at how Gavin & Stacey was created and became such a cultural phenomenon—funny, relatable, and genuinely heartwarming. It’s packed with behind-the-scenes details, script snippets, and anecdotes that highlight just how successful and beloved the series really was.

What stood out most was the glimpse into Ruth and James’s relationship—honest, raw, and real. You see their creative highs and personal lows. Ruth’s moody spells, James’s energy, their disagreements—it made them feel like human beings, not just brilliant writers or performers.

If you loved the show, you’ll fly through this. A must-read for fans of British comedy, screenwriting, or just good old-fashioned telly nostalgia.

[ItzHayley Beanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to thank Pollyann for telling me about this book, as someone who has previously seen the Gavin and Stacey programme, Pollyann has a signed copy, I just bought a standard copy from Amazon for £12.50.
Boiled eggs in a kettle was unusual, tried to boil them in an ice bucket – so many questions. Does boiling eggs in a kettle work?
Reference to “breaking bad” something I tried watching but couldn’t get into.
I loved how this flipped between Smithy and Nessa (James and Ruth) and included lots of areas that you wouldn’t have known about from watching just Gavin and Stacey.
Really enjoyed this book! Hence the 5 stars!

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

No rating but 5 ⭐️ if I had to rate.
I’ve been a massive fan of Gavin and Stacey for a while now. It’s the type of show you go back to when needing some comfort. When I seen this be released I automatically knew I was going to read it and so glad I did.
Watching how the show came together was honestly incredible and sort of inspiring. Reading about Ruth’s and James relationship was heartwarming. Their relationship is honestly incredible and it’s lovely to know they will always have time for each other even if it’s over the phone.

[Georgia Kenward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the perfect way to end the Gavin & Stacey era. Being able to understand their thought processes throughout the writing and filming process just made me fall in love with the series even more. The way the book was written as if they were just talking to each other made this all the more personal and all the more lovely. For anyone that has loved the series as much as I did, this book is the perfect ending. To James and Ruth. Thank you for bringing us the best comedy series I have ever and probably will ever watch. Until the next one.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruth Jones & James Corden made magic when creating and writing Gavin & Stacey. The show means so much to me! It is one of my comfort shows when life is rough. It is readily apparent how much love & respect, Ruth & James, have for one another. It truly felt like I was sitting with them, as they reminisced about their relationship, and shared behind the scenes details of this period in their lives, on & off set. I will definitely be listening to this book again, probably many times, just as I watch the full series a few times throughout the year, every year.

[Dan Chadwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this entire audiobook in one day, then went on to rewatch Season 1 of Gavin & Stacey. As a huge fan of the show, listening to the trials and tribulations to get it to the screen was fascinating. The book is done in such a brilliant way, as it feels as though you are eavesdropping on a conversation between 2 dear friends, who love the characters they created. Loved it!

[Chelsea May xxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a massive Gavin and Stacey fan. I absolutely loved reading this book as I enjoyed reading all about Gavin and Stacey and how it all came about and how it all worked so well together. I love the friendship between Ruth and James and how well they work and write so well together. Gavin and Stacey is a tv show that is here to stay. I want to binge watch all the tv shows again now xxx

[Dave McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely companion piece to this wonderful show. if you love Gavin and Stacey then this will be impossible to dislike.

It is a bit slight and just walks on the right side of the line when it comes to how much the authors love each other.

I love Gavin and Stacey and this book gave some great insights into its creation.

[Millie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s no words for this whole story! The biggest fan of these two people without a doubt. The book was pure perfection, a great ending to what will forever be the best show on tv and a lovely insight into behind the scenes. I’m so sad that it has all come to an end but blessed to have been introduced to it.

[Leanne Prangnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt like an intimate look into a show that has been a firm favourite for many years. I had already read Alison Steadman's book- Out Of Character- so there were certain aspects I already knew, as well as having watched the 'making of' documentaries. I really appreciated, however, reading about the process of writing and creating this show through the voices of James and Ruth.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So wanted to love this book as much as I love the show. Had the audiobook. When they talked about the actual details of the making of the show it was great. There was a lot of fluff and “I love you so much” “no I love you so much” and as much as I love that they love each other, some chapters went on and on with the love fest too much. Still love them and love their show and glad I listened.

[Edward Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in 5 hours with a short break in between! I didn’t want to put it down. Fantastic, but what do you expect? It was amazing to see how the show came about, and the genuine love, thought, and care that went in to the show.

[Catherine Jeromson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading the hardback but it read like a conversation transcript, so I switched to the audiobook. So much better! But great to have the hard copy for the photos. As other reviewers have said- makes you want to rewatch the whole show again to relive the magic. 😊

[Aimee Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endlessly glad that I decided to listen to the audiobook of this on Spotify, with James and Ruth narrating it. It felt much less like a book and more like a podcast, where I was sat listening to them talk about their favourite bits of the Gavin and Stacey process.

[Jessica]

I would highly recommend listening to this book on audio to hear the emotion in both James's and Ruth's voices as they talk about the origins of Gavin & Stacey and also the finale... as well as everything in between.

[Heather C · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ⭐ listened to on Audible 🎧

Really enjoyed this audiobook, cracking it was! You can tell Ruth & James have a great friendship. Now I just want to watch Gavin & Stacey again from the beginning 😆