Who is Laura Aikman, the actress who plays Smithy's girlfriend ...

One of the biggest takeaways from the 2019 Gavin & Stacey special was that Smithy has a girlfriend who wasn't Nessa. Instead, Smithy (James Corden) is with Sonia, with whom he has some excruciating baby talk over the phone until she turns up in Barry.

Played by actress Laura Aikman, Sonia's not impressed with the set up at Uncle Bryn's and not on board with the oddities and quirks of the Wests and Nessa's ways.

But where have you seen Laura before?

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The answer is: in quite a few things actually! Let's take a look and find out a bit more about the actress.

Who is Laura Aikman?

With a birthday on Christmas Eve, London-born Laura is 38 and has a long list of screen appearances, starting back in 1996 in the film Surviving Picasso, which starred Anthony Hopkins. Laura is married to former Doctors star, Matthew Kennard, who will also be seen in the Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh film, We Live in Time.

What would we have Laura in?

In 2023 Laura had a starring role in the ITVX bio-series of Cary Grant, Archie. The actress appeared as Dyan Cannon, Hollywood star of Heaven Can Wait and Bob & Ted & Carol & Alice in the 1960s and who was Grant's wife for three years. Laura also appeared in another high profile ITV drama, Joan, opposite Sophie Turner.

Since the 2019 special Laura's also had roles in Breeders and Grace. Before Gavin & Stacey her TV roles saw her in some popular UK TV dramas including Casualty and Waterloo Road. In the former she was May Phelps for two years and in Waterloo Road she played Lorna Hutchinson in 2015.

She's also appeared in the ITV drama Liar, opposite Ioan Gruffudd and Joanna Froggatt.

Laura is a familiar face on UK comedy shows, appearing in Citizen Khan, Bluestone 42, The Job Lot, That Mitchell and Webb Look and she was Rosie in Keith Lemon: The Film.

She also appeared opposite Adrian Edmondson in Teenage Kicks, BBC Three's Personal Affairs and children show The Mysti Show.

WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW

What happens to Sonia in Gavin & Stacey?

In the 2019 special she turns up late on Christmas Day, and is distinctly unimpressed with the sleeping arrangements, she annoys the family by criticising Smithy's weight and questioning why Nessa has given everyone taps for Christmas.

By the end she has left early to spend time with her family, leaving Smithy in Barry.

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Gavin And Stacey: The Finale is available on BBC iPlayer.