First look at Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs’ brand new Welsh comedy Better Later

Nation.Cymru staff

Filming has commenced on heartfelt new Welsh BBC comedy, Better Later, co-starring and co-written by Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs.

Commissioned from BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Comedy and made by Tidy Productions in association with BBC Studios Comedy, with support from Creative Wales, the series looks at the unexpected joys of an unlikely friendship.

Better Later (6×30’), is centred on the relationship between two people who meet at a knee trauma clinic; retired teacher Clive (Speirs) is 60 and widowed and environmental health officer Shelley Anne (Jones) is 55 and going through a bitter divorce.

The series is filmed in and around South Wales including Bannau Brycheiniog and is set in a fictional village called ‘Brynfach’.

Ruth Jones says: “In a funny way this show has been 35 years in the making, which is when I first met Steve. It’s not that we’re slow writers it’s just that we’ve been up to other things. It’s fantastic to be back in front of the camera with him again.”

Steve Speirs says: “Our first time acting together for quite a long time, Ruth makes me laugh more than anyone and I’m a terrible giggler. This could be a long shoot.”

Transmission details for Better Later will be announced in due course.

The pair are no strangers to working together. Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs recently teamed up for two BBC travelogue specials. In Ruth and Steve: From Merthyr with Love (2025), she visited his hometown of Merthyr, and in the sequel, From Porthcawl with Love (2025), Speirs visited her seaside hometown of Porthcawl.

The (6 x 30) series is a Tidy Production in association with BBC Studios Comedy for BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC One Wales. The series was commissioned by Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning BBC Cymru Wales, and Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC.

The commissioning editors for the BBC are Emma Lawson and Paul Forde. Executive Producers are Sarah Fraser for Tidy Productions and Josh Cole for BBC Studios Comedy. Producer is Owen Bell and Director is Simon Massey. BBC Studios is handling global sales.