Ruth Jones thrilled audiences with shows like Gavin & Stacey and Stella. Now, to kick off the new year, Ruth is back with a brand new show on Netflix called Run Away, which is based on Harlan Coben's book of the same name and stars the likes of James Nesbitt and Minnie Driver.
But despite her public profile, she kept much of her personal life out of the spotlight. However, in June 2025, the star revealed that she and her husband, David Peet, had separated following 25 years of marriage.
A statement sent to PA read: "We amicably went our separate ways 18 months ago and are now legally separated. We remain good friends. Since our separation, Ruth is living in London and David is living in Canada, where he is in a new relationship."
Here's all you need to know about Ruth's family life...
Ex-husband David Peet
Ruth first met David back in the early nineties, while working with her future Gavin and Stacey co-star, Rob Brydon, for a BBC Wales series. David was working as a TV and radio producer at the time.
Ruth joked to The Scotsman of the pair's first meeting: "It was love at first voice because I spoke to [him] on the phone before I met him."
© Alan Davidson/ShutterstockAlthough David was married with three children, the marriage broke down before David and Ruth embarked on their own relationship. David and Ruth tied the knot in 1999.
Reflecting on their love in a 2008 interview with the Independent, Ruth said: "He has a very sharp mind combined with a dry Yorkshire wit, making him a naturally funny man."
© Getty Images for BAFTADavid is now living in Canada with a new partner, as per the statement announcing his split from Ruth.
Stepchildren
Ruth mostly keeps her private life to herself, but she has opened up about becoming a stepmum to David's three children, Louise, Alex and Fiona, from his previous marriage in the past.
On the subject of not having children of her own, she told the Daily Mail: "It just didn't happen. It wasn't a decision. I don't have a burning desire to have babies. I think it's heartbreaking if you do and you find out you can't have them. I love being a stepmum - all the joy of motherhood without the pain of childbirth."
© Karwai TangIn addition to opening up about the "joys of parenthood without giving birth", Ruth spoke candidly to The Scotsman newspaper about becoming a stepmum. The actress said: "You take things as they come. There wasn't a moment when I thought, 'I've become a stepmum now.
"We never had any difficulty with teenage angst, and now I'm looking forward to becoming a step-grandmother at some point."
In August 2025, Ruth officially joined Instagram, sharing a video as the first post to her account. In the clip, Ruth said she would be sharing a "little bit of personal" as well as work updates and sometimes "won't say anything at all". Since her first post, Ruth has shared occasional updates including a trip the theatre with her Stella co-star Karen Paullada, being "on aunty duty" by taking her niece and her friends to the London Dungeon, and celebrating her 59th birthday in September.
