9 November 2025

As the popular drama series STAD returns to S4C, writer Lleucu Siôn highlights the importance of capturing the true sound and spirit of Caernarfon on screen. 

“The energy, spirit, and humour of the Caernarfon people are so special,” she said, “it was absolutely vital that it sounded really authentic on TV.” 

The new series starts on S4C on Sunday, 9 November at 9:00pm, and revolves around the adventures of the Gurkha family and their neighbours. The characters often find themselves in difficult situations, in which they strive to survive.  

A boxset of the whole series will be available on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer.  

The first series of STAD was shown in 2022, a sequel to the popular series Tipyn o Stad which ended in 2008 after seven series. 

Among the cast are many familiar faces from the original series: Bryn Fôn, Gwenno Hodgkins, and Wyn Bowen Harries, alongside newer characters portrayed by Sion Eifion, Begw Rowlands, Lisa Victoria, Lowri Palfrey, and Gwenno Fon. 

Manon Wilkinson plays the role of ‘Tracey Fish a Chips’, a mother of three who lives on the estate. As a true Cofi (person from Caernarfon), Manon says that portraying the character has been a truly personal experience: 

“I was brought up hearing these voices and stories. Tracey is a true gift of a character in so many ways. She’s a mother to three children and they are her whole world; she has a huge heart, and to me personally she represents a lot of the Caernarfon community. 

“She’s a whirlwind of a character, one minute she’s flying high, the next she’s crashing down. It’s definitely a challenge to play, but honestly, that’s what makes it such a gift. I’m very grateful for the chance to take it on.” 

Llŷr Evans, from Y Felinheli, will step into the shoes of actor Rhodri Meilir to play Keith, the youngest of Charlie and Carys Gurkha’s children. For Llŷr, one of STAD’s strengths is the way it reflects the reality of a community where the Welsh language is a natural part of every aspect of life: 

“When you watch some Welsh dramas on TV, you think ‘no way, that scene would never happen in Welsh’. 

“But in Caernarfon and Gwynedd, every layer of society lives through the medium of Welsh. People sell drugs in Welsh, the Masons meet in Welsh, people write poetry in Welsh, your accountant is Welsh speaking. You can believe that every situation happens in Welsh - that’s what makes this world feel so real.” 

For Lleucu Siôn, one of the scriptwriters of the series, Caernarfon is “a character in its own right”: 

“Caernarfon isn’t just a setting for a TV series. I think there’s an energy to the place as well as the dialect. But it was important to me that Caernarfon sounded authentic on the telly. 

“There’s a real soul to the place, and the people are funny. Even in the darkest moments, there are subtle lines where you laugh in the sadness as well. 

“I want the people of Caernarfon to see themselves, without the characters feeling like someone from the outside is attempting to sound like them.” 

The series was filmed on location in Caernarfon and Bangor, and according to Lleucu, it was essential to involve local people in the process: 

“It was important that people from the estate were given the opportunity to be extras, and that many of the estate’s houses were used for filming. We wanted people in the community to be aware of what we were trying to portray.”  

Although the series is deeply rooted in Caernarfon and true to the town and its people, STAD “isn’t just for the people of Caernarfon, or Gwynedd,” says Lleucu: 

“The stories are ones that audiences across Wales and beyond will be able to identify with - but the strength of the language in the area makes the story real and believable through the Cofis’ unique spoken Welsh. There’s also the occasional Irish or southern accent… just as it is on the streets within the castle walls.”