Actress Lisa Riley celebrated her 50th birthday on Monday, receiving a warm tribute from her former 'Fat Friends' co-star Ruth Jones. Jones shared a series of throwback photos on Instagram, documenting their time together on the comedy-drama series, which aired from 2000 to 2005, alongside a more recent picture.
"Happy 50th Birthday to lovely Lady Riley - one of Life's most gorgeous souls. Big love sweetheart xxx," Jones captioned the post, which included images of a youthful Riley and Jones with blonde hair.
Riley, known for her role as Mandy Dingle in the ITV soap 'Emmerdale' from 1995 to 2001 and again since 2019, also shared her reflections on the milestone birthday. Taking to X, she posted a photo of herself beaming with a sparkler and two desserts, expressing gratitude and contentment.
"So 50 years old TODAY, I feel so grateful, so blessed, so content and loved," Riley wrote. She added reflections on life's journey, the importance of love and laughter, and her career.
Riley also recently received an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the King's Birthday Honours for her services to drama and charity, which she called the "best 50th birthday present."
This honor came after Riley provided an update on a significant arm injury that required surgery. The actress recounted the incident, which occurred five weeks prior while filming 'Emmerdale', involving a fall from a stool.
"I had to have surgery on it, here I am week five now," she explained on the talk show 'Loose Women'. Riley described the recovery process as "horrendous," noting that she still had limited mobility in her arm and was undergoing rehabilitation.