Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page in shock career change for new BBC2 show
GAVIN AND STACEY star Joanna Page has landed a lush new TV job training to become an assistant vet.
The Welsh actress is due to start filming the series next year which will be screened on BBC2.
And the pet lover, who has recently become an ambassador for RSPCA, admits the show will be a real passion project.
Joanna says: “I’m going to be doing a wildlife show where I’ll be training to become a nurse to some wildlife vets.
“I adore animals and we as a family just love them. My children are very excited about me doing this new show.”
Her latest telly gig comes just six months after ITV confirmed her last animal-themed series The Pet Show, which she co-hosted alongside Dermot O’Leary, had been axed after just one season.
But Joanna will be hoping for better luck with her new show when it launches next year.
Joanna will also be stepping up her role on Loose Women next year, having impressed as a guest-panellist over the past year.
The mum-of-four, who is promoting LEGO’s #BuildToGive campaign (must keep), is a fixture of on TV this time of year, given her lead role in BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey, playing Stacey Shipman, plus parts in festive family favourite movies Nativity 2 and Love Actually – and another TV spectacle, which is especially memorable for the star.
She explains: “I feel like I’m not associated with Christmas, most definitely. In fact, it’s been like that for ages.
“The first TV job I ever did was David Copperfield, a period drama for the BBC, which is where I met my husband (James Thornton) and that is always on at Christmas time. I played Dora Spenlow and he played Ham Peggotty.
“The other day I tried to put on Nativity 3 for my children but they refused to watch it, because I’m not in that one.
“Then you’ve got the two Gavin and Stacey Christmas specials which are repeated every year, so the festive season is very close to my heart.”
Joanna was in Cardiff last Friday working alongside LEGO where a 3D heart installation and a free LEGO building station was erected.
Both children and adults were encouraged to build a heart out for bricks and post on social media with the #BuildToGive, sparking the LEGO group to donate LEGO sets to children up and down the UK who are in need of them.
Joanna says: “My kids all love LEGO, so much so they build them up and then make new things out of them.
“That’s all part of the fun and what LEGO is all about.”
Liv feels for the Royals
SHE famously played The Queen in series three and four of The Crown, but Olivia Colman says she understands why the Netflix drama might feel “too close to home” for the royals.
Olivia covered the period from 1964 to 1990, but now series six takes the timeline of The Windsors right up to 2005 and touches on events in recent history.
On The News Agents podcast, she said: “‘I haven’t watched the new ones yet . . . The first two with Claire Foy, I particularly loved because they were historical, fascinating stuff.
“I’d say: ‘I didn’t know that.’ I loved that, and it has become more uncomfortable.
“I feel uncomfortable answering questions about whether or not The Crown should have stopped before now because I loved the job.
“It was a great job. I’m not a spokesperson for the Royal Family, don’t know them.
“I can understand, I can feel that maybe it’s too close to home now.’”
Bobby’s moving performance
BOBBY Brazier’s stepmum Katy took to Instagram after missing his moving Strictly performance.
Katy, wife of his dad Jeff Brazier, wrote: “Cried this morning saying bye to him. Cried today because I couldn’t go because of my ridiculous cough. Cried because I was so proud.”
Vernon’s £6m feat for kids
TV and radio presenter Vernon Kay has given a fresh update on the funds raised by his four-day ultramarathon.
Yesterday he put a post on Instagram confirming his incredible feat had racked up a total of £6,059,488.
With all the cash going to the BBC’s Children in Need appeal, Vernon showed his appreciation to everyone who’d given their support.
Alongside a red heart emoji and picture of himself celebrating, the Radio 2 presenter said: “A day to reflect. Thank you everyone.”
Get that man a medal . . . and some blister cream.
Baby joy for Love Isle Bigg
LOVE Island contestant Biggs Chris has become a dad for the first time.
Summer Hawkins gave birth yesterday – with the new father by her side, despite the couple splitting up a few weeks ago.
Biggs, who was on the ITV2 dating show in 2020, posted a snap of himself at the birth and with his boy, telling fans his name Ziyon-Marvin Chris.
He also explained the origin of the name, saying: “Psalm 20:1, ‘May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion’.”
I miss the days when people were named after wine or where they were conceived.