Gavin & Stacey’s Joanna Page branded ‘ridiculous’ as she shares harmful habit

Joanna Page, who plays Stacey Shipman in Gavin and Stacey, left her co-stars stunned this week when she admitted to previously putting eight sugars into her tea and coffee.

During the cast’s takeover of BBC Radio 2, Joanna caught Ruth Jones’ attention by sipping on a tea instead of her usual coffee.

She then explained: “Well, I only tend to drink coffee now when I’m working and I start a job. Like on our [Christmas] special, I was on the tea and then halfway through I’m like boom and I go straight into the coffee.

“And now I’m full on tea and I’ve had a sugar in it as well. Normally… I’ve gone from eight sugars down to one.”

Surprised by her admission, James Corden responded: “Stop, you didn’t used to have eight sugars in a tea?”.

Joanna clarified: “I used to have eight sugars in a tea and a coffee,” leaving James still in shock.

Ruth chimed in: “That’s ridiculous,” which prompted Joanna to continue: “Then I went down to five, this was years ago when I first started, and normally now in a tea, nothing, but I’ve treated myself today because it’s Christmas.”

The NHS advises adults to limit their intake of free sugars to no more than 30g per day (approximately seven sugar cubes).

Excessive sugar consumption can lead to health problems such as weight gain and tooth decay.

Joanna has previously opened up about her battle with low blood sugar, which requires regular meals to prevent fainting spells.

In 2010, she revealed her go-to remedy for feeling “run down” was also a sugar-laden drink.

The NHS offers guidance on self-treating hypoglycaemia, suggesting quick fixes like a small glass of fruit juice, sugary soft drinks, five glucose or dextrose tablets, four large jelly babies, or two tubes of glucose gel to raise blood sugar swiftly.

If levels remain under 4mmol/L after 10-15 minutes, another round of sugary intake is recommended, followed by a recheck in 10 minutes.

Once stabilised above 4mmol/L, consuming longer-lasting carbohydrates such as biscuits, a sandwich, or a meal is advised.

In cases of worsening symptoms, immediate medical attention should be sought.

For further details, the NHS website is a valuable resource.