Inside Ruth Jones' marriage breakup from affair that started relationship to ex-husband's look-a-like lover in Canada
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
THEIR relationship began in scandal – and now, 26 years later, it seems it's ended the same way.
After Gavin & Stacey star Ruth Jones, 58, confirmed her shock split from husband David Peet, 71, rumours are swirling that he left her for another woman - one who, awkwardly, could pass for Ruth's double.
Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter
Sign up
9
Gavin and Stacey's Ruth Jones confirmed her shock split from husband David Pee
Credit: Getty
9
Rumours are swirling that David left her for another woman, Jayne Charity Cook, pictured, who is Ruth's double
Credit: facebook.com/@Jane.cook80
9
Ruth and David in 2011
Credit: Rex
The TV producer is now living thousands of miles away in a quiet Canadian town with new partner Jayne Charity Cook, while Ruth has relocated from Cardiff to London to focus on her ever-flourishing career.
Fans are convinced Ruth hinted at her heartbreak in her recent Sunday Times bestseller, By Your Side, which follows Linda - a curvy, teetotal woman in her 50s - whose husband runs off with another woman to open a café in Spain.
While promoting the novel at the Bath Literary Festival in May, where she was notably without her wedding ring, Ruth admitted Linda was based on her.
Tellingly, she described how the fictional husband's fling with a colleague finally ended a long but lacklustre marriage.
'It was never a really great big romantic marriage,' she told the audience. 'They got on fine. They had a good sex life but that was kind of it.
'They were good friends. When he (the husband) went off with Denise at his place of work, and ran off to run a cafe in Spain called Doolallies, she was quite happy to see him go.'
It's hard not to draw parallels with Ruth's real-life split.
In a recent statement, she confirmed she and David went their separate ways 18 months ago, 'amicably,' and insisted they remain 'good friends.'
Since then, Ruth's star has only risen. She's just scooped a BAFTA for her much-loved role as Nessa, topped the book charts, and is filming a gripping Netflix thriller Run Away, alongside Cold Feet actor James Nesbitt.
Meanwhile, David has swapped showbiz for small-town life – and a new romance out of the spotlight.
Ruth Jones brings back Gavin and Stacey's Nessa one last time as she picks up comedy TV BAFTA
Jayne went public with David in April, updating her profile picture to a loved-up snap of the pair. She also shared photos on Threads, writing: 'Spent the weekend with my love and had an amazing time.'
Describing herself as a 'MommaBear, great Friend, Lover, Partner, Daughter, Sister,' she has two adult children – Alexander and Isabella – and is a proud grandmother to their three kids.
She has worked as an Education Assistant at the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw School on the Tsulquate Reserve since 2016.
While it's unclear exactly when - or how - Jayne met David, he's believed to have moved to Canada several months ago.
'It's a bold move across the Atlantic,' a source said. 'But David saw it as a new chapter in his life and an exciting opportunity he couldn't ignore.'
Their split came as a shock to industry insiders, who remember Ruth first meeting David in the early '90s while working on a BBC Wales pilot.
Affairs cause a lot of pain – they're not something one aspires to do
Ruth
According to Ruth, it was 'love at first voice' after hearing him on the phone before meeting in person.
'He has a very sharp mind combined with a dry Yorkshire wit, making him a naturally funny man,' she later commented.
Their relationship began while David's previous marriage was coming to an end – something Ruth has since spoken about openly.
'Affairs cause a lot of pain – they're not something one aspires to do,' she previously said. 'You don't aspire to cause pain to people in their life.'
Their romance triggered the divorce from the mother of his three children, Louise, Alex and Fiona, all now in their 30s, who Ruth remains close to.
9
Ruth on Stella in 2015, which she made with David
Credit: handout
9
Ruth starred in Fat Friends in the early 2000s
Credit: Carlton
9
With James Corden and the Fat Friends gang
Credit: Rex
The pair tied the knot in 1999 and went onto work with each other again, co-creating her Sky comedy Stella, in which she plays the title character - a struggling single mother - which ran for 58 episodes from 2012.
The former couple used to split their time between their two properties in Cardiff and the Scottish Highlands, where they own a holiday home.
Despite their strong union, they never had any biological kids together - with Ruth admitting she never had a strong desire to be a mother.
'It just didn't happen,' she once said. 'It wasn't a decision. I don't have a burning desire to have babies.
"I think it's heartbreaking if you do and you find out you can't have them. I love being a stepmum - all the joys of motherhood without the pain of childbirth."
'Teenage angst'
Despite not being particularly maternal, Ruth was a natural stepmother.
'You take things as they come,' she admitted. 'There wasn't a moment when I thought, 'I've become a stepmum now'.'
She has always spoken fondly of her stepkids and expressed excitement about the possibility of becoming a step-grandmother one day.
"We never had any difficulty with teenage angst,' she recalled. 'And now I'm looking forward to becoming a step-grandmother at some point."
Their split follows the much-anticipated 2024 Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special, where Ruth's beloved character Nessa finally tied the knot with her longtime love Smithy, played by co-writer James Corden.
The episode – fittingly titled The Finale – marked the end of the hit series, pulling in a massive 12.3 million viewers.
Ruth and David had previously collaborated on the 2009 Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special.
Ruth's portrayal of the straight-talking Welsh legend Nessa earned her a BAFTA for Best Female Performance in a Comedy this May - and while she collected the award barefoot, she was still wearing her wedding ring at the ceremony.
But she failed to mention husband David in her acceptance speech. Instead, she paid a heartfelt tribute to the Gavin & Stacey cast and crew, singling out her co-writer James Corden, saying: 'I love you, James. I love writing with you - and long may it continue.'
Ruth and James have co-written a memoir due out in October titled Gavin and Stacey and Everything in Between.
'It's really the story of our friendship,' Ruth told Lorraine. 'We've been close for 25 years now. He's one of my best friends. I adore that man and love being in a room with him – so hopefully we'll write more together.'
9
Ruth on the set of Harlan Coben's new Netflix show Run Away
Credit: MCPIX
9
Ruth is best known for her role as Nessa on Gavin and Stacey, pictured with James Corden
Credit: BBC
James and Ruth's friendship goes way back - the pair first met while working on Teachers and Fat Friends back in 2001. James has spoken just as fondly of Ruth, once describing her as someone he 'loves more than you could ever imagine.'
While Ruth insists her and David remain 'good friends', insiders wonder if they'll continue to work together.
Although Ruth says she and David are still 'good friends,' it's unclear whether they'll continue to work together professionally.
David, a TV producer and Ruth's former business partner at Tidy Productions, has played a key role in many of her projects over the years. He's worked on Gavin & Stacey, Stella,
The Great Outdoors, and the festive film A Child's Christmases in Wales. He also served as an executive producer and writer on Gavin & Stacey, and was behind Ruth's one-off specials, including Ruth Jones' Christmas Cracker (2010), Easter Treat, and Summer Holiday (2011).
In 2019, Ruth told Radio 4's Desert Island Disc how she prefers staying at home than attending glitzy showbiz events.
She also recalled her meeting with Barack Obama at a dinner at Downing Street in 2013 and how he's a fan of the Welsh accent.
She told how he was particularly charmed by Jones's tendency at the time to say 'Brill-iant' and stick her thumbs in the air.
'I went very Welsh. I went 'Hiya!' and shook hands with him,' she told presenter Lauren Laverne. 'I said 'Can I just say? Congratulations! Brill-iant!'
'And he shook hands with me and then leaned down and said: 'I really need to learn how to say that – brill-iant!'.'
While David settles into his new life in a quiet town in Canada, Ruth is busy filming her new Netflix thriller, Run Away - the latest Harlan Coben novel to be adapted for the screen.
She stars alongside Cold Feet actor James Nesbitt in the gripping new series, and it could mark a fresh chapter for Ruth – both on and off screen - as we're about to see a very different side to her.
'I've been playing a private investigator and I've really enjoyed it – it's so different,' she says.
New role, new career direction… perhaps even a new man too, Ruth?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
39 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Who is Miki Sudo's husband Nick Wehry and how many children do the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest competitors have?
MIKI Sudo and her husband Nick Whery are the the highest-ranked couple in Major League Eating. While Miki has been the top dog female in competitive eating since 2014, her husband is currently ranked No 4 in the world rankings. Advertisement 4 Miki Sudo rose to fame in 2014 after she unseated Sonya Thomas during the women's competition at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 4 Niki's married to fellow professional eater Nick Whery Credit: Getty 4 They have a YouTube channel called The Hungry Couple Credit: Splash Who is Nick Wehry? Miki Sudo is married to fellow competitive eater, Nick Wehry. The 34-year-old is from Port Richey, Florida — where he and his wife still reside. According to his Major League Eating bio: "Wehry eats everything with skill and passion, and is a threat in any discipline. "And dude is jacked. His delts have lats. His future burns bright." Advertisement Nick and Miki met in 2018 at a gym on the morning of a hot dog eating contest and began dating the following year. In 2021, Nick ate a world-record 50 hard-boiled eggs at The DraftKings Red Carpet Film Feast in exactly three minutes and four seconds. In the build-up to the 2022 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, Miki and Nick sat discussed how they prepare for the event with ESPN. They explained how they simulate contest conditions as closely as possible, with one of them practicing while the other's on baby duty. Advertisement Miki said: "We haven't done a full practice together in a while, not since 2019? No, 2020." "Usually one of us has to practice and the other one's on baby duty," Nick added. Joey Chestnut gobbles 75 hot dogs in 10 minutes to win 13th Nathan's title as Miki Sudo beats women's wiener-eating record Nick competed in the 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, but lost to Patrick Bertoletti. The couple are also known for their YouTube channel, The Hungry Couple, which has more than 6,000 subscribers as of June 2025. Advertisement Kids Miki and Nick share one child together, a son named Maxwell Samuel Wehry, who was born on July 8, 2021. Miki is also a stepmother to Nick's two children from a previous relationship — William and Sylvie. 4 Miki Sudo is a competitive eater born on July 22, 1985, in New York City Credit: Reuters On May 14, 2023, Nick took to Instagram to write a heartfelt post dedicated to his wife, saying: "Holidays are typically just another day for us……but I'll take any chance I get to acknowledge the amazing mother/step mother that @omgitsmiki is to Max, William and Sylvie. Advertisement "It's so east to see the incredible love that you have for the kids…..and that they have for you. "Thank you for being my balance…..being an incredible source of encouragement and love for them….and all that you do. We're so fortunate to have you. We love you so much." His wife Miki Miki Sudo is a competitive eater born on July 22, 1985, in New York City. When she is not competing, she often updates fans on her life via Instagram, where she has amassed over 13k followers as of June 2025. Advertisement On July 4, 2024, Miki won her tenth victory at the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, New York — she ate 51 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Ryan Reynolds' favourite Wrexham player who starred in Deadpool in talks over transfer exit after being frozen out
Things are boiling behind the scenes at the Racecourse Ground DRAGON'S DONE Ryan Reynolds' favourite Wrexham player who starred in Deadpool in talks over transfer exit after being frozen out Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PAUL MULLIN, once the poster boy of Wrexham's fairytale rise, is heading for the exit door after a dramatic fall from grace. The 30-year-old striker, who bagged goals galore to fire the Red Dragons to back-to-back promotions, is now in talks to join Wigan Athletic. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Paul Mullin hasn't kicked a ball since January after a big fall out with his manager Credit: Getty 4 There are reports that Phil Parkinson is not in good terms with Mullin Credit: Getty 4 The 30-year-old has been the star in back-to-back promotion campaigns Credit: PA According to the Daily Mail, Mullin has been frozen out at the Racecourse Ground. The report further claims the striker clashed with manager Phil Parkinson in January and he hasn't kicked a ball since. Rumour has it the frustrated forward even phoned Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney to vent his fury over being benched. And things have gone from bad to worse after the January arrivals of Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez saw Mullin slip further down the pecking order. Now the club have landed Ryan Hardie from Plymouth which effectively slams the door shut on Mullin's hopes of a comeback. Despite Mullin playing down talk of a rift, his days at Wrexham look numbered. Wigan have been circling for months and are finally pushing to seal a loan swoop. Mullin, who is on £5.8k a week and hastwo years left on his deal, could now be on the move as tensions boil over behind the scenes at Wrexham. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK From hero to outcast, it's a stunning twist in the tale of one of football's unlikeliest stories. There are growing reports that Wrexham could still go in for Jamie Vardy, who will be on the move this summer. Wrexham stars celebrate in iconic Las Vegas casino and hijack luggage cart after Hollywood owners splash £500k on party 4 Ryan Reynolds and Paul Mullin on set of Deadpool and Wolverine Credit: Instagram @vancityreynolds They're looking to add experience as they aim to engineer another promotion that would land them in the Premier League. But so far, there's been little to suggest Vardy will be heading to the Racecourse Ground, with interest in him also coming from the MLS.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
From Street Fighter to Final Fantasy: Yoko Shimomura, the composer who put the classical in gaming's classics
Alfred Hitchcock, David Attenborough, Harold Pinter, Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott, Hideo Kojima – these are just a few of the recipients of the Bafta fellowship, the highest honour the academy can bestow. Japanese composer Yoko Shimomura is the latest to receive the accolade; one of only 17 women and four Japanese people to have done so. She is also the first video-game composer to be recognised by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and the first composer recognised at all since John Barry in 2005. It is with good reason that the academy has honoured her. Shimomura is an icon. You'll know her music from Street Fighter, Final Fantasy, Super Mario, Kingdom Hearts, Legend of Mana, Streets of Rage and more than 70 other games she has contributed original compositions or arrangements to. Her 37-year-long career has seen her record at Abbey Road Studios, have her music played by symphonic orchestras around the world, and work in genres ranging from rock to electronica, ambient to industrial, pop to opera. And yet Shimomura seems unchanged by her success. 'Certainly, over the course of my career, there have been a number of times – a lot of times perhaps, compared to other people – where I have struggled. Enough to think maybe I want to give up.' She tells me that even as far back as her first job at Japanese developer Capcom, she thought she had maybe two or three years in her before she'd quit. She also says she applied for that job with 'barely any hope of getting accepted' – with a modesty that still seems a core part of her character. 'Even though I love this job, there have been plenty of times when it was really hard for me to continue. I couldn't sleep, and I would especially struggle as deadlines would approach.' Part of her fatalism came from the culture of video games in Japan in the late 80s. Despite the thriving arcade and development scene later leading to the mainstream success of the PlayStation in the mid-90s, pursuing a career in video games was seen as a dubious prospect by Shimomura's peers and family. 'This is something I think most gamers who were around at the time will understand,' she laughs. 'Generally, my friends and people I hung out with were not big gamers, so they weren't too familiar with what games really were. At the time, a lot of them were confused about what a job in video-games music even was! Certainly, my parents were not of the generation who would have played the Famicom [the NES], so they would say things like: 'Oh, video-game music? Is that a job? Is that real?' There was a lack of knowledge and understanding about the profession, really.' Surprisingly, given the male-dominated western world of video games in the 80s and 90s, Shimomura tells me that a lot of her colleagues in the sound department at Capcom were women. The developer split its composers into corporate and consumer divisions, where the top staff were all female. 'I felt that since the head staff were women,' she says, 'it was easier for other women to join the department.' Her peers began to understand how serious Shimomura was about her musical career with the release of Street Fighter II in 1991, the ninth game she worked on. 'That's when the tide started to turn. It sold so much, and so many people knew it and became familiar with my music, that it was a really significant title for me. I certainly think it's why I ended up working with Square on titles like Live a Live and Front Mission – because the bosses there knew me from Street Fighter.' For Street Fighter, Shimomura would study the character designs and personalities of the fighters, then design themes for them. She would also pore over the detailed pixel art stages for each character, and draw out details from their 'home stage'. She would then compose music based on the character's ethnicity and culture, often to striking and unusual effect. The best example, to my ear, is the use of a major key rhythm track for the Brazilian fighter Blanka, while the main melody playing on top of the rhythm is in minor. It's odd but it works, and gives the green-and-orange fighter a musical identity as as much as a visual one. Shimomura's classical background gave her the tools to work techniques such as this into her music. She eventually departed Capcom for Square, the most famous RPG developer in the world, because she wanted to work on games where she could utilise classical composition techniques. 'Why is classical music such a good fit for RPGs? I think it's because so many of those titles are set in medieval, European-style worlds where that music naturally belongs,' she says. 'But even if an RPG is set in a more modern take on a world, they're very rarely close to reality; the game world is of another age. And classical music is of another age too, so it's a very good fit.' The first project Square set Shimomura to work on was Live a Live, a 1994 RPG that takes players on a fantastical journey as eight characters across nine scenarios. 'There are so many different worlds and different settings in there, and very few of them actually needed classical music, so it was completely different to what I was expecting,' she laughs. Sign up to Pushing Buttons Keza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gaming after newsletter promotion Shimomura would not get to flex her classical music muscles the way she really wanted to until Square's 1999 release Legend of Mana, on which she felt she could truly express herself. 'Until that point, at Square, the projects I worked on did not allow me to do something 100% from scratch,' she explains. 'There were always other factors, other legacy things that went before it. Music in Live a Live had to align with the characters. For Parasite Eve, I had to work with what was established in the original game. Mario RPG, of course, is set in the world of Mario and had to be 'Mario music'. I was not free to create something from the ground up until Legend of Mana.' Legend of Mana would be foundational for the rest of Shimomura's career. Three years later she would work on Kingdom Hearts, the now-mainstream success that trades on the unlikely idea that the worlds of Final Fantasy and Disney could somehow become merged. 'When it first released, Kingdom Hearts wasn't a big hit,' Shimomura recalls. 'After it was released, it was one of those hard times I mentioned before: I left Square, and I wasn't sure if I was going to continue in this job or not. But then they came back to me and asked if I wanted to work on Kingdom Hearts II, and that was significant for two reasons. One, it proved I could continue doing this as a freelancer. And two, it was the first time I'd been asked to come back and work on another game in a series.' Even at that point, 17 years into her career, Shimomura was uncertain about her standing in the world of video-game music. 'I think, both professionally and in a sense of personal growth, that's why Kingdom Hearts means so much to me.' Now, 37 years since her first job at Capcom, Shimomura has been lauded with Bafta's highest honour, and she is still as polite, humble and respectful as the young woman poring over Street Fighter's stages. 'I was blessed to have mentors and seniors who really helped me grow as a composer and taught me a lot of what made me who I am,' she says. 'I feel very lucky, and it is down to all those people that I am here talking to you today.' And her advice to other young women hoping to break into making music for games today? Be tenacious, persevere and work through that self-doubt. 'I think the reason I haven't given up is because I always make myself think of the love I have for music and for games. I cherish that feeling. And so if people do ever think they want to give up, please, cherish that feeling of love yourself, and keep going. I hope I can be an example for people when times are tough. If I can get over that, I hope that they can too.'
