TV star Joanna Page, best known for playing Stacey Shipman in the iconic sitcom Gavin & Stacey, has opened up about the steamy mornings she enjoys with her actor husband James Thornton when their four children are out of the house. The 49-year-old actress, who also appeared in Love Actually and Taskmaster, says those precious few hours are not wasted.
A Busy Family Life
Joanna and James have been married for 23 years and share four children: Eva, 13, Kit, 11, Noah, nine, and Boe, four. With such a bustling household, finding time for romance can be challenging. “By half ten at night everyone is still up, the kids are playing dress-up or shooting toy arrows at each other on the landing, I’m still co-sleeping with Boe, so for now, at least, we only have mornings,” Joanna explains.
When the children are at school and nursery, the couple seize the moment. “Boe’s at nursery, the children are at school, so James and I will turn to each other and say, ‘Let’s just try and grab five minutes, let’s quickly have some wild, abandoned sex,’ and then maybe we’ll have lunch at the local pub,” she reveals. “Sometimes we just sit in the same room, doing work together, or watching TV. We both know it won’t be forever, just while the kids are young and we still find those precious moments here and there.”
Keeping the Spark Alive
Joanna believes that working together on her podcast, Lush!, has helped maintain their connection. James guest-stars every Friday, forcing them to sit and talk for two hours. “We are forced to sit, look at each other and talk non-stop for two hours,” she says. “If we’re in the middle of an argument, we’ll sit and talk about it, or I’ll be like, ‘Oh my God, what do you think about what’s going on in the world at the moment?’ We just talk and talk and talk, so when we come out of the studio it feels really good because we’ve managed to connect.”
An Open House
Communication is key in the Page-Thornton household, and nothing is off-limits. Joanna’s autobiography, Lush!, includes candid revelations about being touched inappropriately on set and facing rejection during auditions. Her children were not surprised by any of it. “They see me going for auditions and learning lines and not getting a job, so they know the reality of the world and the profession,” she says. “In our family, we talk so much about life and relationships and looking after ourselves. My God, it’s a very, very open house.”
Defending James Corden
Joanna also has high praise for her Gavin & Stacey co-star James Corden, who has faced criticism over the years. “James does get a bad rap, but in my opinion he’s the kindest man and he’ll do anything for you,” she says. “He’s so difficult to work with because he’s got a glint in his eye and he bloody well makes you laugh, and that’s really difficult sometimes. He’s a lovely fellow and a very kind friend. He’s always been absolutely adorable to me.”
No More Gavin & Stacey?
As for the possibility of another series following the 2024 finale, Joanna is doubtful. “I don’t think there will ever be any more episodes. I’ve always thought over the years there would be more, but after seeing the finale that’s the only time I’ve genuinely thought, ‘That’s 100% done.’ I think it’s all tied up now, what with Nessa and Smithy getting married. What else is there to see? But my God I’d be more than happy if they ever wanted to do one more.”
Joanna’s book Lush! is available in paperback, eBook, and audio from Thursday 4 June.
