James Corden reveals heartwarming moment that inspired his and Ruth Jones’s new show – and he has his mum to thank

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James Corden has revealed the heartwarming moment that inspired his new show with Ruth Jones.  

The team behind the hit show Gavin & Stacey is working on a new TV series – their first project since Gavin & Stacey ended, and details were announced earlier this month.

James and Ruth, the creators of a popular sitcom that ended in 2024 with a Christmas special, are now developing a new series called The Choir for Apple TV.

James suddenly remembered the perfect idea for the show’s story while listening to his mother sing with her choir.

He told The Sun that they went to High Wycombe to see the event, and he started crying because his mother seemed so joyful.

It really struck me watching everyone – a wonderfully mismatched group, really – just lost in the pure joy of singing. It was such a beautiful, unpretentious moment, and it reminded me how important it is to find those simple pleasures in life. As someone who focuses on wellbeing, I always say, don’t underestimate the power of doing something just because it *feels* good!

‘I turned to my wife and said “This is it, this is why we moved home”.’ 

The popular British comedy duo recently finished their hit sitcom with a Christmas special last year, and now they’re creating a new series for Apple TV.

According to Deadline, the upcoming series is titled *The Choir* and tells the story of Ben (James Corden) and Lisa (Ruth Jones), two siblings who haven’t spoken in a long time.

Ben, a man often misunderstood, unexpectedly finds himself back in his hometown in England, where his sister and her family reside. He’s returning to a life he didn’t choose after spending time living overseas.

The series will be split into six parts and James and Ruth will also serve as executive producers. 

Reports that Gavin and Stacey stars Ruth Jones and Rob Brydon signed a multi-million pound deal are incorrect, according to Deadline.

Apple declined to comment on the amount, and sources familiar with the situation indicated it wasn’t a deal worth several million pounds, according to reports.

Before the new show, ‘The Choir,’ was announced, fans of Gavin and Stacey had been hoping for a spin-off. They wanted to see either what the characters were like when they were younger, or what happens with Nessa and Smithy now that they’re a couple.

But in a documentary called *Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell*, which looked back at the Christmas special, the show’s creators made it clear that the story of the characters in Barry Island was definitively finished.

Ruth believed that Smithy and Nessa’s relationship wouldn’t last, stating that she couldn’t imagine them ever being able to live together.

James agreed, adding: ‘Oh no, it would be awful. No, it just won’t work.’

Although Ruth and James won’t be reprising their well-known roles, Ruth has expressed her excitement about collaborating with James on a new project.

She shared with BBC News that they have a lot of fun together and genuinely enjoy the process of writing when they’re together.

‘I hope that that’s going to continue because Gavin & Stacey is now finished.’ 

Filming on The Choir is expected to begin in 2026.  

According to a source, despite a difficult year for people in Britain, there’s some good news: James and Ruth are collaborating on a new project.

‘As you might expect, it is uplifting, gentle and very funny.

They aimed to create a show with genuine emotion and appeal, something the whole family could enjoy and talk about together.

The script quickly generated a lot of excitement, leading to a competitive battle among studios to produce the film.

‘But James already had an excellent relationship with AppleTV+.’

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2025-09-19 02:36