Yahoo News Ruth Jones channels Nessa and flirts with Tom Jones in hilarious NTAs acceptance speech
Ruth Jones accepted the National Television Award for Impact in character as Nessa from Gavin and Stacey - and took the chance to flirt with Sir Tom Jones.
The star, who co-created the hit BBC comedy with James Corden, and her fellow cast mates were presented with the special trophy by Sir Tom and his The Voice colleague Olly Murs.
Channelling her outrageous comic alter ego, Jones addressed Sir Tom, jokingly admonishing him: "You never write, you never call!"
She added: "There's still a lot of electricity between me and Sir Tom, and don't you knows it!"
Jones then dropped her persona in order to hail the BBC as "the best public broadcaster in the world" and also thanked "the good people of Barry Island for giving us such a warm welcome in the summer" when the cast filmed a special Christmas episode of Gavin and Stacey.
She then hailed her cast for "bring[ing] the characters to life," adding: "Their phenomenal talent amazes me and James."
She said that Corden, who lives in Los Angeles where he films The Late, Late Show, was gutted not to be able to attend the ceremony and promised that he would be watching at home.
I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there tonight. I have a show today and tomorrow. But I am so proud to see the whole cast up there holding this award. Thank you @OfficialNTAs x pic.twitter.com/EdGgErXYLJ
— James Corden (@JKCorden)
He later tweeted: "I'm so sorry I couldn't be there tonight. I have a show today and tomorrow.
"But I am so proud to see the whole cast up there holding this award. Thank you @OfficialNTAs x."
Fans on Twitter were disappointed that Jones did not use her acceptance speech to announce a new series of Gavin and Stacey following the success of the Christmas special.
Surely I'm not the only one who thought Ruth Jones was going to announce another series of #gavinandstacey ??? pic.twitter.com/ISceBu4J7I
— Sophie Robinson (@SophieAppleyard)
Ruth Jones looked like she was just bursting to tell us there’s a new season of Gavin & Stacey coming #NTAs pic.twitter.com/OwTa9JjVON
— Natalie Kershaw (@nataliekershaw_)
I was totally expecting Ruth Jones to announce another series of #GavinAndStacey when they won the award. Well deserved! #NTAs pic.twitter.com/prlKSmgxIH
— Lewis Denny (@Lewis_Denny)
me waiting for ruth jones to announce a new series of gavin and stacey in her #NTAs speech pic.twitter.com/2mEdNU44Tq
— rαcн☠️ (@r4chhhhhh__)
Me after Ruth Jones didn’t announce another series of Gavin and Stacey at the #NTAs pic.twitter.com/MvtquccIxe
— Rebekah Allen (@rebekahj92)
Speaking to PA news agency on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, Jones said that she and Corden "don't have any plans at all" for a new series.
"We still have the same situation, which is that James and I live on different continents so getting together to write is very difficult, so who knows?" she added.
"At the moment there are no plans."
Jones was joined by co-stars Rob Brydon (Uncle Bryn), Joanna Page (Stacey), Mathew Horne (Gavin), Alison Steadman (Pam) and Larry Lamb (Mick) as well as director Christine Gernon.
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