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
