Ruth Alexandra Elizabeth Jones, MBE (born 22 September 1966) is a Welsh TV actress and writer. She co-starred in and co-wrote the award-winning British TV comedy Gavin & Stacey (2007–2010), and has appeared in many television comedies and dramas, such as Jimmy McGovern's The Street with Timothy Spall (2009), and starring as Hattie Jacques in Hattie for BBC4 (2011). She takes the lead role in the comedy drama series Stella for Sky One; the series is produced by Tidy, the company she co-founded in 2008 with her husband David Peet, who is managing director.