It’s fair to say that Gareth David-Lloyd will always be remembered for playing Ianto Jones, no matter which other role he plays in the future. It’s where many of us first got to know him. Others may of course have seen him as lead singer of Blue Gillespie and followed the band’s successes until their final home turf gig on 3rd August, 2013, and their last US gig in Atlanta, Georgia on 30th August.
He’s married to Gemma James and they have two beautiful children, daughter Lily Christina born 4th June, 2012 and son Eli Andrew born 10th August, 2014, and still live in Newport, Wales.
Quite recently I’ve been catching up with Classic Casualty and watched an episode from way back in 2003 where Gareth played a young soldier, who was dabbling in illegal substances and died because of it. Gareth returned to Casualty many years later, in 2018 -2019 to be exact, to play another character, Joshua Bowers for four episodes, I’ve not got to that part yet. Previous to that, and I’m quite amazed how time has flown, he was in the spin off series Holby City playing Rhys Hopkins for 4 episodes. I think he worked for the hospital but am unsure to be fair, what role it was. I remember watching one or two of the episodes as well, but yet, mind is completely blank and Google is not my friend today. No help, whatsoever!!!
Also, going with classic television shows, I caught up with Waterloo Road, on BBC iPlayer, last year and saw him as a character in that, and for once, not a nice one either, and as with nearly all bad characters, they get their comeuppance in the end.
But it’s not just acting roles in front of the camera that Gareth has worked on. Let’s not forget the video games he’s voiced characters for, and not just Dragon Age: Inquisition either, but Red Faction: Origins and Red Faction: Armageddon, as lead character Adam Hale. And the latest video game for Windows in 2019 Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey in which he’s the voice of Sir Lancelot Du Lac an immortal knight of the round table who works alongside sorceress Morgana Le Fey in an adventure that takes them to the smog filled streets of London in search of the infamous Jack, the Ripper in 1888. Gareth also narrated the book Enoch the Traveller. Tempestas Viator by Lady Soliloque which premiered on 22nd February 2014.
When you play characters in sci fi, horror and psychological thrillers, I suppose it’s only natural that you’d want to broaden your horizon by playing Jacob Fitts, a man who becomes infected after he’s attacked by a zombie. His lone struggle with life and the end of life, is played through his video camera in the horror film I Am Alone.
Coming back to Earth slightly less zombified, Gareth has played several roles for the UK independent web series Twisted Showcase, created by Rhys Jones and the much missed Robin Bell. Short films by new and upcoming writers, directors and producers of horror, sci fi and psychological thrillers and comedy, Twisted Showcase is the perfect platform to start from. Gareth played a role in three episodes, one of which he played two characters. Peter & Paul in 2012, Chris in Payback and Lucifer Jones in Be My Head which was possibly my absolute favourite of them all in 2017. Gareth also wrote and directed this episode.
From Twisted Showcase to Black River Meadow. A crowd funded project that produced one episode in 2018 called The Hiding, that was possibly the most gruesome episode I’ve seen in a long time, that provoked a lot of shouting from me, at the screen, of ‘Don’t be an idiot.’ ‘Don’t put your hand in there, you silly man.’ ‘OMFG’
In 2019, Gareth played the role of Owen in the Prime Original drama mystery The Widow starring Kate Beckinsale and Charles Dance. He’s only in for one episode though. Could be my next muse I think for something to watch of an evening.
Again, for one episode, Gareth played Matt in Warren, a comedy series about a pedantic driving instructor played by Martin Clunes. Always worth a punt, I think.
On stage, in 2015, Gareth played the role of Juror 12, for the play 12 Angry Men by Reginald Rose for the UK Tour. Playing Brick in the Stage Play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in 2016 at Theatr Clwyd, Wales, and played Walt in the 2018 stage play of Blueberry Toast by Mary Laws in Soho Theatre, London.
Here, in 2021, we can at least take comfort in those audio dramas of Torchwood by Big Finish, where Ianto lives to fight another day, and it’s all before that fateful 456 episode, where to be fair, if the Doctor hadn’t cancelled out Jack’s VM, he might have managed to get Ianto and indeed himself out of that room, safely.
However…
One thing is for sure, it’ll be some time before we do hear the last of Ianto Jones. Because for as long as the actors are happy and willing to play the characters, the writers will continue to create outstanding stories of Torchwood for us all to listen to.
Happy Birthday Gareth
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