Why Ruth Jones accepted Nessa's Bafta in bare feet

Ruth Jones has revealed that because she genuinely did not expect to win a Bafta award, she had "sort of settled in for the night" as an audience member and had taken her shoes off.

So when she did win, there was nothing for it but to head up on to the stage barefoot.

Jones was honoured in the best female performance in a comedy category for playing Nessa in Gavin & Stacey: The Finale.

But she said it was such a strong category that she was simply sat holding co-creator James Corden's hand, worrying about how to look when she didn't win.

In an upcoming behind-the-scenes book with Corden about the show, the star said she hoped to show fans their writing process, their "silly little arguments", and the love and friendship they have.

"I was really waiting for my name not to be read out, then when it was and I hadn't got any shoes on, I had to go up on stage barefoot, which was quite funny," Jones recalled.

Since she was wearing a full-length evening gown, nobody watching had any idea her shoes were still tucked away under her seat, next to Corden.

The actress and author will be appearing at the Hay Festival literature and arts event starting in the Powys town of Hay-on-Wye next week.

She will be talking about her third novel By Your Side, which is published on Thursday, and appearing alongside Corden to talk about their upcoming book charting the behind-the-scenes story of the creation of Gavin & Stacey.

Jones said it will give an insight into their writing process.

"I just think it might be interesting for people to find out how it came about, what our writing day was like, and some of the silly little arguments we've had on the way, the love we have for each other and the friendship that we have," she said.

Her latest novel follows Linda Standish, a woman in her fifties who is about to retire from a unit that tracks down the next of kin for those who have died without any known relatives who would inherit their estate.

She said Linda has been a cathartic character for her to write, because she was able to make Linda grumpy about some of the things that make her grumpy.

"Actually, at the back of the book there are a couple of pages dedicated to the things that really annoy Linda Standish and I have to say that some of those are things that I find annoying, like for example people who video call when they're on a train or a bus and they don't put headphones in."

In the book, Linda is also an emotional eater. She comfort eats and has a stash of chocolate under the bed.

Jones said that, at times, she has been an emotional eater too.

"I think both women and men can eat emotionally," she said.

"I know that I've sometimes I wanted to go, 'oh come on, it's a celebration, let's have a big blow out and have a curry or a massive bar of chocolate', and I know that people do.

"Emotional eating is a thing. Whereas someone might pour themselves a couple of glasses of wine, Linda will go and eat a big Galaxy bar."

There may be no more Nessa, but Jones will be back on our screens very soon starring in an adaptation of Harlen Coben's Run Away alongside James Nesbitt and Minnie Driver.

Jones has also made a documentary called From Merthyr With Love with Welsh actor, comedian and local Steve Speirs.

"I'm very lucky, I'm getting to do lots of different things right now," she said.

It seems there is nothing Jones cannot do.

And after she hinted at new writing projects with Corden in her Bafta acceptance speech, who knows, maybe the best could be yet to come.

• You can catch up with the full Ruth Jones interview from Saturday's show on BBC Sounds