Stella (British TV series)
Stella | |
---|---|
Genre | Comedy-drama |
Created by | Ruth Jones David Peet |
Written by | Ruth Jones Rob Evans Steve Speirs Ben Edwards Simon Ludders |
Directed by | Sandy Johnson Sue Tully Juliet May Tony Dow Mandie Fletcher Sarah O'Gorman |
Starring | See Cast |
Opening theme | "And Then She Smiles" by The Mock Turtles |
Composers | Mark Thomas Simon H Jones Nick Lloyd |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 5 (+1 Special) |
No. of episodes | 51 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers | Barry Lynch Lucy Lumsden Ruth Jones Jon Mountague |
Producers | Jane Dauncey Josh Dynevor |
Editors | Sara Jones Peter Hallworth John Richards |
Running time | 60 minutes (inc. adverts) 90 minutes (inc. adverts) (2014 Special) |
Production company | Tidy Productions |
Original release | |
Network | Sky 1 |
Release | 6 January 2012 present | –
Stella is a British comedy-drama created and written by David Peet and Ruth Jones who plays the lead role of Stella. Stella is one of the flagship television comedy series that has been commissioned and aired on Sky1. The series is largely filmed in Ferndale in the Rhondda Valley in Wales.[1] Just as the show reached halfway through the first series, it was confirmed that a second series was commissioned and premiered on 11 January 2013.[2] Just before the second series even aired, Sky recommissioned the show for a third series and premiered on 24 January 2014[3] with a Christmas Special to follow on 22 December 2014. As the show reached halfway through the third series, it was confirmed that a fourth series was commissioned and premiered on 6 February 2015.[4] After the fourth series concluded, it was confirmed that a fifth series was commissioned and premiered on 12 January 2016.[5] Various celebrities make guest appearances as themselves in some episodes. A Christmas special will be shown on Sky 1 in December 2016.[6]
Background
The series is set in the fictional village of Pontyberry in the South Wales Valleys. Stella is a 40-something single mum who earns a living doing the locals' ironing. Most of the time, she's relatively happy with life as she juggles the ups and downs of her family, amid the chaos of her eccentric friends, relatives and children's fathers. Her brood consists of eldest son Luke, who starts the series in prison as a consequence of stealing five cars and a lorry; 16-year-old Emma who's smitten with her first love Sunil; and 12-year-old Ben.
Then there's Stella's best friend, sister-in-law Paula, a functioning alcoholic funeral director. Stella's not-too-bright ex-husband Karl who's now seeing 28-year-old Nadine; not forgetting lollipop man and youth rugby coach Alan, an old school friend of Stella's who's been in love with her since 1984. Finally there's Stella's brother Dai who is an ex-serviceman injured on duty. He doesn't work now but is always willing to help out while enjoying an exciting sex life with his wife Paula.
A running joke of the series is the Daddy character played by Howell Evans who only speaks in an unfathomable language, yet everyone in the village is able to understand him but outsiders cannot. However, Daddy appears in the choir scenes where he appears to sing the same words as the rest of the choir members. In episode 2.7 Ashley Banjo thinks Daddy is speaking Welsh but Paula says Daddy does not speak Welsh. However, in episode 2.10 Aunty Brenda says Daddy can speak Welsh and Punjabi.
A number of main cast members did not return after the second series and exited off screen. Consequently, new cast members were added for the third series.
Catrin Stewart did not return as Emma in the fourth series having departed on screen in the Christmas special but returned in episodes 9 and 10 in Series 5. Several other cast members also did not return.
In Series 4 Episode 7 Elizabeth Berrington returned as Paula Kosh after having not appeared since Series 2, however her return was only temporary, she departed in Episode 8. She also returned in episodes 7 and 8 of Series 5, because of Daddy's death.
The Series 4 finale ended on a cliffhanger, Beyonce informed Michael that she was 12 weeks pregnant with his baby and gave him a scan photo.
Synopsis
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Stella is a warm, funny, down-to-earth family saga starring Ruth Jones in the titular role as a mum juggling the demands of life, love and the next door neighbour's donkey. Stella is a 40-something mum who earns a living doing the locals' washing and ironing. And, most of the time, she's relatively happy with life as she juggles the ups and downs of her family, amid the chaos of her eccentric friends, relatives and children's fathers. Her brood consists of eldest son Luke, a lovely boy who starts the series in prison; beautiful 16-year-old Emma who's smitten with her first love Sunil; the brains of the family 12-year-old Ben and their dog Banjo.
Then there's Stella's best friend Paula, a functioning alcoholic funeral director. Stella's not-too-bright ex-husband Karl who's now seeing 28-year-old Nadine; not forgetting lollipop man and youth rugby coach Alan, an old school friend of Stella's who's been in love with her since 1984. Finally there's Stella's brother Dai who is an ex-serviceman injured on duty. He doesn't work now but is always willing to help out while enjoying an exciting sex life with his wife. Stella's life isn't straightforward. Bagging toy boy Sean and son Luke's release from prison indicated that things were on an upward turn in the first run, but teenage daughter Emma's pregnancy and the untimely return of Stella's first love Rob soon knocked the family off balance. In the last episode, Luke revealed he was emigrating to Canada, although Stella stole the show by confessing to Emma that she was pregnant - but didn't know if Rob or Sean was the father.
Series two joins Stella and Sean preparing for their new arrival, while Emma and Sunil adjust to married life. Domestic bliss looks doubtful for both, however, as Rob's business dealings bring him back to Pontyberry and Sunil enrols at a brainy (and boozy) medical school. Elsewhere, Dai begins work at the funeral home with wife Paula, creating untoward problems for the usually adventurous couple. Catch up with lollipop man Alan too, who experiences a run of bad luck when his crossing is replaced by traffic lights. Karl and Nadine's new salon Tantastic Bodies, meanwhile, promises to make the town "browner and beefier", and they've already got a potential client in Aunty Brenda, a new arrival from Tenerife armed with bags of insults and an appetite to offend.
English lawyer Michael Jackson moves to the house next door to Stella after an acrimonious divorce has caused him to downsize his lifestyle. As he tries to adjust to valley life he soon becomes inextricably linked to Stella's household. When we left Pontyberry at the end of Series 2 Stella had made the life changing decision not to go to Canada with Rob. She also parted ways with Sean and he emigrated to Australia with his new love. As the story picks up for series 3 will Stella have entirely given up on men? Or could new neighbour Michael become the new apple of her eye?
Cast
Main cast
Actor/Actress | Character | Duration | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Ruth Jones | Stella Morris/Jackson | 2012–Present | |
Craig Gallivan | Luke Morgan | 2012–Present | Eldest son of Stella |
Catrin Stewart | Emma Morris/Choudary | 2012–2014, 2016–Present | Daughter of Stella |
Justin Davies | Ben Morris | 2012–Present | Youngest son of Stella |
Patrick Baladi | Michael Jackson | 2014–Present | Boyfriend/Husband of Stella |
Supporting cast
Actor/Actress | Character | Duration |
---|---|---|
Julian Lewis Jones | Karl Morris | 2012–Present |
Aled Pugh | Bobby Gittins | 2012–Present |
Daniel Gammond | Little Alan | 2012–Present |
Maxine Evans | Rhian Evans | 2012–Present |
Russell Gomer | Yanto Beed | 2012–Present |
Dafydd Hywel | Glen Brennig | 2012–Present |
Deddie Davies | Marj Brennig | 2012, 2014–Present |
Pal Aron | Jagadeesh Choudary | 2012–2014, 2016–Present |
Taj Atwal | Jasminder Choudary | 2012–2013, 2016–Present |
Scott Quinnell | Himself | 2012–Present |
Wayne Cater | George the Butcher | 2012–Present |
Josh Cook | Keckers | 2012–Present |
Di Botcher | Aunty Brenda Draper | 2013–Present |
Bethan Witcomb | Zoe | 2013—Present |
Martha Mackintosh | Katie Jackson | 2014–Present |
Emma Rydal | Celia Braxton | 2014–Present |
Clare Hingot | Cheryl Spragg | 2014–Present |
Grace Fan | Betty Wong | 2014–Present |
Remy Beasley | Beyonce Evans | 2015–Present |
Alice Hewkin | Lily | 2015–Present |
Leona Vaughan | Cerys Ferris | 2015–Present |
Suzanne Packer | Carole | 2016–Present |
Karen Paullada | Nadine Bevan | 2012–2016 |
Mark Lewis Jones | Rob Morgan | 2012–2013, 2015, 2016 |
Elizabeth Berrington | Paula Kosh | 2012–2013, 2015, 2016 |
Tim Rhys-Evans | Himself | 2016 |
Tony Gardner | Ivan Schloss | 2016 |
Laila Rouass | Maria | 2016 |
Ruth Madoc | Mayor Mary Meyer | 2016 |
Richard Harrington | Ian Meyer | 2016 |
Patricia Kane | Dotty | 2016 |
Andy Fairweather Low | Himself | 2016 |
Clive Russell | Uncle Clem Draper | 2016 |
Former cast
Actor/Actress | Character | Duration |
---|---|---|
Owen Teale | Dai Kosh | 2012–2013 |
Kenny Doughty | Sean McGaskill | 2012–2013 |
Beth Robert | Mrs. Barclay | 2012–2013 |
Menna Trussler | Bopa Boyce | 2012–2013 |
Maggie Steed | Meg, Stella's mother | 2012 |
Michael Elwyn | Ken, Stella's father | 2012 |
Donna Edwards | Mo the Bap | 2012–2013 |
Nadia Kamil | Bethan | 2012–2013 |
Joanna Riding | Melissa | 2013 |
Joanna Scanlan | Nancy | 2012 |
Lucinda Dryzek | Leah | 2013 |
Paul Kaye | Peschman Hodd | 2013 |
Howell Evans | Uncle Huw Simpson | 2013 |
James Corden | Steven | 2012 |
Melanie Walters | Sonographer | 2013 |
Andy Linden | Big Rae | 2012–2013 |
James Thornton | Marcus Jensen | 2014 |
Denise Gough | Collette Jensen | 2014 |
Katie Elin-Salt | Amy Edwards | 2012, 2014 |
Tilly Blackwood | Jan Jackson | 2014 |
Ian Lavender | Keith Jackson | 2014 |
Keith Barron | The Captain | 2014 |
Gareth Pierce | Lenny Mack | 2013–2014 |
Eiri Hughes | Verv/Vivienne | 2014 |
Sudha Bhuchar | Tanisha Chaudary | 2012–2014 |
Rory Girvan | Sunil Choudary | 2012–2013, 2014 |
Steve Speirs | Alan Williams | 2012–2015 |
Anthony O'Donnell | Dai Davies | 2012–2015 |
Yasmine Akram | Parvadi | 2014–2015 |
Celyn Jones | Brother Alan | 2014–2015 |
Vern Griffiths | Dewi Phillips | 2015 |
Ramon Tikaram | Mr. Jeffrey Honey | 2015 |
Jamie Lomas | Dan Braxton | 2015 |
Richard Elfyn | Iwan Jenkins | 2015 |
Jane Asher | Hazel | 2015 |
Wynne Evans | Dafydd Sanchez | 2015 |
Howell Evans | Daddy Simpson | 2012–2015 |
Michelle Luther | Carley | 2015 |
Michelle McTernan | WPC Jane Glover | 2012–2014, 2015 |
DVD release
The complete first series of Stella was released on DVD on 12 March 2012.[7]
The complete second series of Stella was released on DVD on 18 March 2013.[8]
The complete third series of Stella was released on DVD on 31 March 2014.[9]
The complete fourth series and the 2014 Christmas Special of Stella was released on DVD on 13 April 2015.[10]
The complete fifth series of Stella was released on DVD on 21 March 2016. A series 1-5 boxset was also released.
References
- ^ Stella filmed in Ferndale
- ^ Sky order 2nd series of Ruth Jones comedy drama Stella, retrieved 10 February 2012
- ^ Ruth Jones's Stella gets third series, retrieved 25 August 2012
- ^ Sky orders Series 4 of Ruth Jones comedy drama Stella, retrieved 27 February 2014
- ^ Jones, Hannah (14 August 2015). "Stella series 5 films new scenes in Cardiff". Wales Online. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ "Stella 2016 Christmas special filming in Barry Island".
- ^ "Stella - Series 1 [DVD]". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ^ "Stella - Series 2 [DVD]". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ^ "Stella - Series 3 [DVD]". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ^ "Stella - Series 4 + 2014 Christmas Special [DVD]". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 26 February 2015.