After three hugely successful series and a fourth on the way, Ruth Jones (Gavin & Stacey) has decided that now is the right time for a 90-minute Christmas special of her Sky 1 comedy drama Stella.
I'm pleased to say that it was worth the wait. It's warm, it's funny and it's very festive.
We're invited to watch Stella share her first Christmas with her latest love interest Michael (Patrick Baladi) but unfortunately things don't quite go to plan when he is called away to Birmingham to deal with a family emergency.
Stella has to rethink her plans for Christmas and rather than dwell on the fact that she won't be able to spend it with Michael, she grows close to 11-year-old Billy, who is suffering with a terminal illness on the children’s ward at work.
The warmth that Ruth Jones is able to bring to the piece is the perfect example of why Stella works - it's believable and relatable. In the same way Fat Friends was, and of course Gavin & Stacey.
Oh and as if that wasn't enough, Aunty Brenda takes charge of the town pantomime, as expected chaos and mayhem ensues when the whole town turn up to audition for a part in Cinderella!
Watching Christmas In Pontyberry has definitely whet my appetite for the fourth series which I am told isn't far away! It was recently believed that Ruth Jones did not want to continue Stella beyond four series, however if Sky want more, Ruth has said she will deliver more. The more the merrier I say as Ruth Jones really has struck gold with her series about the people of Pontyberry, making it easily one of the best original pieces that Sky have ever made.
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