Actress and writer Ruth Jones has been awarded the Hay Festival medal for drama.

The Gavin and Stacey co-creator received the honour during the opening weekend of this year’s Hay Festival, where she was also promoting her new novel, By Your Side.

The book - a story about finding joy in the most unlikely connections - follows Linda Standish, a retiring council worker who takes on a final case to trace the relatives of a Welshman who died on a remote Scottish island.

Jones was one of three recipients of this year’s medals.

Sir Michael Morpurgo was awarded the fiction medal, while Elif Shafak received the medal for prose.

Morpurgo is one of Britain’s best loved authors, having written more than 150 books, including War Horse. He served as Children’s Laureate between 2003 and 2005. His work often explores themes of courage, resilience, and the relationship between humans and animals, and he has received numerous awards for his writing.

Shafak is an award-winning British Turkish novelist. Her most recent novel, There Are Rivers in the Sky, is the story of three lives – in Victorian London, 2014 Turkey and 2018 London – connected by a single drop of water. Her previous books include The Island of Missing Trees and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World.

Hay Festival Global CEO Julie Finch said: “We are honoured to celebrate three exceptional storytellers on a blockbuster opening weekend at Hay Festival 2025.

“Under a blazing spring sun, Hay Festival Medals have been awarded to Ruth Jones, Michael Murpurgo and Elif Shafak, who have each done much to push the boundaries of contemporary writing and spread the joy of stories here and around the world.”

The Hay Festival medals were established in 2012 and are awarded annually to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the arts.