The Choir on Apple TV: Gavin & Stacey co-creators Ruth Jones and James Corden reunite for comedy drama series with an all-star cast
They play estranged siblings
The Choir is a brand new comedy drama on Apple TV from the makers of Gavin & Stacey. It reunites Ruth Jones and James Corden onscreen for the first time since Christmas Day 2024.
Fans of the iconic sitcom, set in both Essex’s Billericay and Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, will know the last ever episode of Gavin & Stacey aired nearly two years ago.
But now the co-creators have revealed details about their new TV comedy drama series The Choir. And they’ve bagged a rather impressive cast of famous faces for the cast.
Here’s everything you need to know about The Choir on Apple TV, including plot, cast, start date, and filming locations.
What is The Choir on Apple TV?
The Choir on Apple TV centres around estranged siblings, played by James Corden and Ruth Jones. Ben and Lisa have not seen each other for several years.
Ben has been living abroad, while sister Lisa has continued living in their small town where “nothing ever happens”.
When Ben is forced to return, due to events beyond his control, he is forced to return to “a life he never wanted, a town he never liked and a family from which he’s estranged”.
Can the unlikely healing of a rift with his big sister come in the form of a struggling local choir and the ensemble who sing their hearts out each week? Of course it can!
Talking about the upcoming comedy drama, James Corden and Ruth Jones previously said the idea came from their family connection to choirs. James’ mum and Ruth’s sister are both members of one.
Ruth Jones and James Corden are executive producers for the series, as well as leading the cast. Ruth previously said: “We both feel that choirs, amateur choirs especially, bring people together in a way that maybe nothing else does.
“There was just this idea to bring this group of characters together from different backgrounds, all sorts of different things going on in their lives.”
How many episodes is it?
The eight-episode show will air on Apple TV.
Each episode is expected to be an hour each.
Who’s in the cast of The Choir on Apple TV?
As well as James Corden and Ruth Jones in the leading roles of siblings Ben and Lisa, there’s a cast heaving with famous faces.
The cast of The Choir on Apple TV includes:
- Pierre‘s David Harewood.
- Comedian and The Gentlemen star Tom Davis.
- The Red King’s Rosie Sheehy.
- Falling’s Susan Brown.
- The Game‘s Jason Watkins.
- Death Valley’s Alexandira Riley.
- Beast’s Sylvestra Le Touzel.
- Upstart Crow’s Tom Edden.
- Rivals’ Gary Lamont.
- Horrible Histories’ Emily Lloyd-Saini.
- Doctors’ Stephen Leask.
Guest appearances include Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham, X-Men’s James McAvoy, and Harry Potter’s Jim Broadbent.
When is the start date?
The Choir is now in production and set to air in 2027.
Cast and crew are currently filming in and around Lewes in East Sussex.
Where is The Choir on Apple TV set?
The Choir is set on a fictional town called Alderswyck, which was actually filmed in Lewes in East Sussex.
Locals in Lewes saw cast and crew filming in an Oxfam charity shop which was converted into Alderswyck’s post office. Meanwhile, the John Harvey Tavern was made into Woody’s Pub. Filming also took place in Fitzroy House and around Cliffe High Street.
The Choir on Apple TV ‘is show about community’
Talking about Apple TV’s The Choir, James Corden revealed the series is about “family, friendship, love and music”.
He said: “We wanted to try and make a show about community and the importance of community. It’s just about a group of people that come together every week and enjoy and sing, and it’s really about the life that’s within that.
The Choir marks Ruth and James’ first project together since the record-breaking Gavin & Stacey: The Finale. The pair met while filming Fat Friends and began a working relationship, later going on to write Gavin & Stacey.
