Pregnant Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page reveals she’s quit acting to focus on new career
28 October 2021, 07:38 | Updated: 28 October 2021, 07:48
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Stacey Shipman star Joanna Page has said acting doesn't work for her family life anymore.
In a blow to Gavin & Stacey fans, actress Joanna Page has revealed she is leaving her acting days behind to concentrate on presenting.
The Stacey Shipman star - who is currently expecting her fourth baby - has said she is keen to make the career change for her family.
Speaking to The Mirror, Joanna, 44, admitted: “I really enjoy presenting and it works a lot better with a family as you don’t have to go away for weeks on end.”
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Joanna is already mum to eight-year-old daughter Eva, and sons Kit, six, and Noah, four, who she shares with Emmerdale actor husband James Thornton.
After giving birth to Eva, Joanna said she didn’t like working away from her newborn and now wants to spend more time with her kids.
“For the first six months after I had Eva I was away working filming two shows back to back,” she said.
“I had my mum looking after her on set but it was so tough as all I wanted to do was spend time with my new baby."
She added: “Also, I just find presenting a lot more interesting. You’re always doing something different and I love just being myself and chatting to people.
“It can be a lot more fun than sitting alone in a trailer for hours learning lines, then going out to do a scene where you’re pretending to be somebody else.”
Gavin & Stacey fans will know that Joanna’s last acting role was for the Christmas special of the show two years ago.
And the actress said she wouldn’t rule out a return to the iconic role, calling it a ‘great job’.
The Christmas episode in 2019 ended up attracting a whopping 18 million viewers, with Joanna admitting she never expected to film a reunion.
Revealing writers James Corden and Ruth Jones contacted her ‘out of the blue’ a few years back, she said: "After the third series ended we were told, ‘this is it, there won’t be any more’ so it was such a complete shock.
“I’d expect if it was ever going to be on TV again that getting another phone call out of the blue is what would happen.”
This comes after Joanna revealed she was going to become a mum for the fourth time this winter.
Sharing a photo of her bump on Instagram, she wrote: "Well this is a surprise! Baby number 4 on the way! It’s going to be a busy Christmas!"
Joanna’s husband James also shared the news on his own social media, writing: “My wonderful wife @iamjoannapage is pregnant and doesn’t she look amazing!!! We are having baby number 4! #almostafiveasideteam #nosleep.”
Fellow actor James starred alongside his wife in the BBC adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield and is also known for playing John Barton on Emmerdale.
The expectant parents have been married since 2003.
