Cardiff English Although based in nearby Barry, accents heard in the sitcom "Gavin & Stacey" are not Cardiff or Barry accents, with the exception of the character Nessa, played by Ruth Jones who was brought up in Bridgend but now resides in Cardiff. A common first reaction to the accent is often that it is scarcely different from what is considered a "proper Welsh accent", which is usually seen by most outside Wales as being the variety spoken in the South Wales Valleys. The accent is also sufficiently distinct from standard English that researchers from the University of Birmingham have carried out
Gavin & Stacey surnames of known English serial killers for some of the main characters – Shipman, West and Sutcliffe — was deliberate. In 2009 Ruth Jones commented: "I suppose we were hoping that people wouldn't realise and then when it does come to light, it's even more delicious..." Although the production team received requests, the show declined to use celebrity guests for cameo roles in the 2008 Christmas special. However, both Noel Sullivan and John Prescott made brief cameo appearances at the end of the final series. Both figures had formed the basis of long-running jokes throughout the series. Nessa occasionally refers