It hasn't been long since the final ever episode of Gavin & Stacey aired, and now the star is back on our screens with a new documentary called Joanna Page’s Wild Life, which sees the actress pursue her lifelong dream of working with animals.
Filmed in Surrey at Wildlife Aid (one of the UK’s leading wildlife hospitals) last summer, the 15-part series follows the mum-of-four as she spends 10 weeks training to become an animal wildlife care assistant and master the ‘three Rs’ - rescue, rehab and release.
She starts with cleaning out pens and cages, before progressing into rescues, animal triage training with the vets and and perhaps one of the most rewarding parts of all: releasing them back into the wild.
Along the way, she meets all kinds of creatures in need, from baby badgers and fox cubs to hedgehogs, owls, bats and tiny wood mice, some of which she may or may not name after her Gavin and Stacey co-stars...
Joanna Page’s Wild Life trailer
"I sent Ruth Jones a photo the other day of a hedgehog that I was looking after and she was just really shocked. I don't think anybody really realises what I've been doing, because I didn't realise what I'd be doing and how hands on I'd be with everything." she says in the trailer.
Speaking of her experience, Joanna says, “I’m so proud of this series and what I was able to achieve. I feel more equipped and excited to welcome wildlife into my own garden and can’t wait for viewers to see a different side to me.
"It’s also an amazingly educational series, I’m hoping that audiences will be able to go away and create little safe havens in their outdoor spaces for our wonderful wildlife species we have here across the UK.”
Joanna Page’s Wild Life release date
Joanna Page’s Wild Life begins on BBC Two on the 6th January 2025 at 6.30 pm. The whole series is also available to watch on iPlayer now.
If you'd like to help wildlife flourish in your own garden or outdoor area, there are many things you can do, such as building or buying your own hedgehog house, helping feed winter birds and creating a small pond for amphibians, insects and animals to use.
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and looking after her dogs, tortoise and chickens.