Sheridan Smith has said she will not reprise the role of Ruth "Rudi" Smith in the highly-anticipated Gavin & Stacey Christmas special.

The Bafta award-winning actress played the sister of James Corden's Smithy in the much-loved BBC drama.

Speaking on the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2, she confirmed she had no plans to appear in the one-off episode.

Asked whether she could reveal any details about the project, the 37-year-old replied: "I wish. No, I'm not going to be in it, I think."

The show, which starred Mathew Horne and Joanna Page as well as co-writers Corden and Ruth Jones, ended after three series in 2010.

It told the story of Gavin (Horne), from Billericay, and Stacey (Page), from Barry, in Wales, who fell in love and married after speaking on the phone to each other every day at work.

Smith's character was known for her fractious relationship with her brother and their amusing impromptu raps.

Last week, Smith performed Second World War song When the Lights Go On Again at the commemorations in Portsmouth for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

As she sang, black and white wartime images were shown on a huge screen behind her.

She said it had been "such an honour" to be asked to perform.

She said: "Originally I was going to do a play reading. There were lots of different actors doing play readings. Then they asked if I would end the show with We'll Meet Again. Then they asked if I would start it with When The Lights Go On.

"All these Vera Lynn songs because, you know, she sang to the troops. It was such an honour. I was very, very nervous with Her Majesty there.

"But it was such an honour. I stayed for hours afterwards meeting them all (the veterans). They showed me all their pictures. They are just such heroes, what they went through for all of us."