Elizabeth Melanie Walters (born 30 January 1962) is a Welsh actress, known for portraying the role of Gwen West in the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey (2007–2010, 2019, 2024). With a career spanning five decades, her other roles have included Helen Powell in We Are Seven (1989–1991), Bonnie Bevan in Hollyoaks (2007–2009) and Yvonne Mallowan in the BBC crime mystery series Death Valley (2025–2026). She has also appeared in various stage productions and pantomimes, and in 2026 became a contestant on the twenty-fourth series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Early life Elizabeth Melanie Walters was born on 30 January 1962, the youngest of four children born to David Walters and Margaret (née Warnes), and was raised in the Mumbles, near Swansea. She has an older brother David, and two older sisters Eleri and Julia. Their father died when Walters was young, leaving their mother to raise four children under four years old. In 1973, aged 11, she took over her brother's paper round, covering Mumbles Head every day, an experience she described at length on BBC Radio 4 in January 2012. When she was 14 she qualified as a lifeguard, working on the local beaches.

Career Walters began her acting career in the late 1980's. Her first credited role was as Milwen Parry in two episodes of the BBC series The District Nurse in 1987. She went on to appear in episodes of Screen Two, Mistress of Suspense and Coronation Street. Between 1989 and 1991, she portrayed Helen Powell in the BBC drama series We Are Seven. Between 2000 and 2001, she appeared in the BBC One Wales series Belonging as Delyth. She has also made various guest appearances in television shows including The Bill, Dangerfield, Casualty and Holby City.

Walters' most known role came in 2007, when she began playing Gwen West, the widowed mother of title character Stacey Shipman (née West) known for her frequent making of omelettes, in the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey, a role she held until 2010, before returning for Christmas special episodes in 2019 and 2024 respectively. Between 2007 and 2009, she sporadically portrayed the role of Bonnie Bevan in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. Walters was one of eight celebrities chosen to participate in an intense week learning Welsh in an eco-friendly chic campsite in Pembrokeshire in the series cariad@iaith:love4language shown on S4C in July 2011, and emerged winner of the series.

Walters has appeared in various stage productions and pantomimes, including Educating Rita, Blue Remembered Hills, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Importance of Being Earnest, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast and numerous productions of Cinderella.

Since 2025, she has appeared in the BBC crime mystery series Death Valley as Yvonne Mallowan. In 2026, she appeared in an episode of Beyond Paradise. In September 2026, Walters was a contestant on the twenty-fourth series of Strictly Come Dancing and was partnered with professional dancer Aljaž Škorjanec.

Personal life Walters lives with her son in the Mumbles, Swansea, where she also runs a business teaching Pilates.

Filmography Film Year Title Role 1995 Tan ar y Comin Mrs. Evans 2010 Submarine Judie Bevan 2011 Resistance Helen Roberts 2013 Another Me Mrs MacPhail 2014 Ex Libris Iris 2015 High Tide Bethan 2015 Caring for the Recently Deceased Alice 2015 Slim Chance Meg 2015 Burn Burn Burn Shelle 2017 The Dead Dog Emily 2017 Cold Comfort Martha 2018 Say My Name Aurelie Strohfeldt 2021 Heart of Steel Helen 2021 La Cha Cha Iris 2022 Save the Cinema Mrs. Pritchard 2025 Croydon Cowgirl Nova Sources:

Television Year Title Role Notes 1987 The District Nurse Milwen Parry 2 episodes 1988 Screen Two Sian Episode: "Run for the Lifeboat" 1989 Ballroom Ann Television film 1989–1991 We are Seven Helen Powell Series regular 1991 Coronation Street Valerie Jennings 1 episode 1992 Friday on My Mind Dr. Carr 1 episode 1993 Telltale Jean Herbert 3 episodes 1993 Screen One Sister Ann Munroe Episode: "Tender Loving Care" 1994 Christmas Reunion Mrs Evans Television film 1994 The Healer Gill Major Television film 1995 The Bill Ellen Reynolds Episode: "Little Boy Lost" 1995 Killing Me Softly Amy Television film 1996 Dangerfield Beverley Groves Episode: "Still Waters" 1997 Backup Sally Vaughan Episode: "Partners" 1997 A Mind to Kill Ruth Barra Episode: "Inheritance" 1999 Jack of Hearts Silvie 2 episodes 1999 Casualty Bev Lewis Episode: "To Have and To Hold" 2000 Dirty Work Megan Episode: "Naked Ambition" 2000–2001 Belonging Delyth Regular role 2002 Holby City Melanie Hooper Episode: "Choose Life" 2003 Stopping Distance Lisa's mother Television film 2007–2010, 2019, 2024 Gavin & Stacey Gwen West Regular role 2007 Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive Herself Guest appearance 2007–2009 Hollyoaks Bonnie Bevan Recurring role 2011 Being Human Emma 2 episodes 2011 Cariad@iaith:love4language Herself Winner 2013 Stella Midwife 1 episode 2014 Under Milk Wood Neighbour 1 episode 2015 Doc Martin Heather Merchant Episode: "The Shock of the New" 2016 The Collection Genevieve Regular role 2017 The Watcher in the Woods Helen Taylor Television film 2018 Casualty Carrie Gillespie 1 episode 2018 Morfydd Joan Riviere Television film 2019 Pitching In Kitty 4 episodes 2020 The Snow Spider Nain Griffiths 5 episodes 2020 My Petasaurus Nanna Episode: "A Big Surprise" 2021–2022 Biff & Chip Gran Regular role 2023 Jerk Beatrice 1 episode 2024 Father Brown Dotty Finglesham Episode: "The Hermit of Hazelnut Cottage" 2025–2026 Death Valley Yvonne Mallowan Regular role 2026 Beyond Paradise Geraldine Desai 1 episode 2026 Strictly Come Dancing Herself Contestant; series 24 Sources:

Stage Year Title Role Venue 1992 Educating Rita Rita Swansea Grand Theatre 1998 Blue Remembered Hills Angela Theatr Clwyd 2010–2011 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Wicked Queen Swansea Grand Theatre 2011–2012 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Riverfront Arts Centre, Newport 2012 Sleeping Beauty Good Fairy Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl 2014–2015 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Theatre Royal, Bath 2015 Jack and the Beanstalk Forest Fairy The Anvil, Basingstoke 2015 The Iliad As Cast National Theatre Wales 2016 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth 2016 Before I Leave Dyanne National Theatre Wales 2017 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Blackpool Grand Theatre 2017 The Importance of Being Earnest Miss Prism Theatr Clwyd 2021 What's New Pussycat? Mrs Western Birmingham Repertory Theatre 2021–2022 Beauty and the Beast Fairy Bon Bon Floral Pavilion Theatre 2024 Beauty and the Beast Fairy Camembert The Playhouse, Weston-super-Mare 2025–2026 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth

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