One of Pobol y Cwm's most prominent and popular characters is to leave the S4C soap after 14 years at the heart of the fictional village of Cwmderi.
We can exclusively reveal that Kath Jones will make her dramatic exit in a special double bill of the BBC Wales-produced daily drama, broadcast on S4C tonight (Friday, 28 December, 8.00pm).
The surprise departure comes at a turbulent time for the often loud Kath. In recent weeks she has been grappling with a will-she-stay-or-will-she-go dilemma, after being invited by her old flame Johnny Mac to start a new life with him on the continent.
Up to now, Kath has insisted that she would always stay in Cwmderi to be with her family, particularly her son, Mark, grandson Ricky and Johnny’s son, Liam. But she's about to change her mind in a dramatic yuletide twist.
Kath Jones, played by actress Siw Hughes, first appeared in Pobol y Cwm in 1993 as the head of a new family whose middle name was trouble.
In the beginning, the blunt Kath seemed as bad and reckless as her tearaway son Mark (Arwyn Davies) and not at all like her more conscientious daughter Stacey (Shelley Rees) and her kind, albeit wheeling-and-dealing husband, the late Dyff (Dewi Rhys).
But, over the years, she has shown a kinder and more generous side that has made her one of the most popular characters in the soap's 33-year history.
What is remarkable about Kath is that this South West Walian character with a very distinctive accent is actually played by a North Walian actress from Llangefni. Siw Hughes' achievement in portraying the character so well was recognised when she won a Bafta Cymru Wales Best Actress award in 1995.
Pobol y Cwm Series Producer, Ynyr Williams, said, “Kath Jones has been one of Pobol y Cwm's most original and enduring characters over the last 14 years. She deserves to be remembered as one of the series' greats – and it's a tribute to Siw as an actress that she has been able to portray this colourful character in such an interesting and convincing way over the years. We wish her every success in the future and hope she gets the platform her talent merits.”
