Ruth Jones has wished her Gavin & Stacey co-star Joanna Page good luck ahead of her stint on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, sharing a classic message from her beloved character Nessa.
Jones, who played the straight-talking Nessa in the hit BBC comedy, posted a selfie of the pair on Instagram on Wednesday 11 November, ahead of Page’s flight into the Australian jungle. The Radio Times reported that Jones could not resist one last gag before Page faces the jungle, sending her off in true Nessa style.
A friendship forged on Barry Island
Jones and Page starred together in Gavin & Stacey, the comedy that became one of Britain’s most loved shows and returned for a final Christmas special. Page played Stacey Shipman, the Welsh bride at the heart of the series, while Jones’s Nessa became a national treasure, famous for her deadpan one-liners and her catchphrase “What’s occurrin’?”
The pair have remained close since the show ended, and Jones’s public send-off is the latest sign of the support Page has received from her co-stars. Page is one of the famous faces in the 2026 series, with ITV confirming the full lineup on Wednesday.
Page accepted on the spot
Ahead of her arrival in Australia, Page said she accepted the offer to do the show on the spot, according to reports. She will join Wayne Rooney, Chloe Burrows, Ricky Wilson, Ade Adepitan, AJ Odudu, Claire Sweeney, Mariella Frostrup, Sharky, Leomie Anderson and Jack Skipper in camp when the series begins on Monday 16 November at 9pm on ITV and ITVX.
Page has said she has been watching spiders on television to prepare for the real thing — a confession that suggests the jungle’s creepy crawlies will be her biggest test. With Jones cheering her on from home, and Nessa’s blessing in her pocket, Page heads into the jungle with one of Britain’s best-loved friendships behind her.
Jones’s message is the latest reminder that Gavin & Stacey was never just a television show for its cast — it was a friendship that has lasted long after the cameras stopped rolling.
Related reading: I’m a Celebrity Stars Land in Australia 2026
