Joanna Page says she was groped by a TV show host during filming after a female producer warned her about his hands-on behavior. The Gavin and Stacey star, 48, described fighting him off, saying it felt like being mauled at a zoo. “Halfway through filming, he starts groping me. I hit his hands and said: ‘What do you think you're bloody doing? Keep your hands to yourself!’” she recalled, adding, “Jesus, I feel like I'm in Bristol Zoo being mauled by the lions.” Page told The Times that a female producer had warned her this could happen and that the experience became something she learned to live with on set. She also noted that legal advisers had urged her not to name the host in public discussions of the incident.
She recounts the episode in Lush: My Story - From Swansea To Stacey And Everything In Between, her forthcoming memoir, which goes on sale Sept. 25. Page has been open about the pressures and perils faced by performers in the industry, and the memoir details her rise from Swansea to fame on Gavin and Stacey. The book’s release has coincided with renewed attention to the legacy of the long-running BBC comedy, which ended its run with a special last year and earned the National Television Award for comedy earlier this month.
In related entertainment news, Gavin and Stacey creators James Corden and Ruth Jones have signed a brand-new seven-figure deal for a follow-up project, reportedly moving away from the original series and onto streaming platform Apple TV+. A source close to the production told The Sun that the project will consist of about 10 episodes with an all-British cast, with Corden and Jones both starring. Shooting is planned to begin next year, with a 2027 delivery target, and the new show will not feature the original Gavin and Stacey characters fans fell in love with.
The original Gavin and Stacey series, which launched in 2007, concluded with the on/off couple Smithy and Nessa declaring their love and marrying in a Christmas special that aired last December. In a later documentary, James Corden reflected on the decision to end the show, explaining that the ending felt appropriate given the show’s long arc. Page’s memoir, Lush, explores her path to stardom and goes on sale Sept. 25, promising a candid account of the highs and lows in a long career in television and comedy.