Ruth Jones Celebrates Lisa Rileys 50th Birthday!

Ruth Jones took to Instagram to wish her Fat Friends co-star Lisa Riley happy 50th birthday with a slew of throwback snaps. 

The actress marked the big day on Monday, with the Gavin And Stacey actress, 59, sharing a trio of sweet pictures from both their time on the show, which ran from 2000 to 2005, and a recent picture. 

She added a caption reading: 'Happy 50th Birthday to lovely Lady Riley - one of Life's most gorgeous souls. Big love sweetheart xxx'.

Her amazing montage showed the ladies in years gone by, including a shot of an incredibly youthful Lisa while Ruth was seen with blonde hair. 

Lisa shared her own emotional post for the big day, in which she took to X to share a snap showing her beaming while sitting with a sparkler with two desserts and the caption: 'So 50 years old TODAY, I feel so grateful, so blessed, so content and loved...

'Life throws many things our way, good, bad, painful and sometimes confusing. But we keep going, stay strong, we fall down occasionally...

'All this is part of our life's journey. It's makes us the truest version of ourselves-I'm lucky to do a job I love, have the most beautiful family, my partner Al is the reason I laugh the most,and I laugh a lot...

'Love and laughter are the best ingredients for a fantastic relationship. Then to top it off I got my MBE this year, another massive reason to have the biggest smile daily. Thank you to all of you-you know who you are-my besties and my loyal ones...

'My Mum in heaven shining down on me with pride today. Massive birthday hugs to you all from me Lisa xxx'.

Last month, Lisa expressed her joy when she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the King's Birthday Honours, calling it the 'best 50th birthday present'.

The actress was recognised for her extensive services to drama and to charity.

Lisa, who is best known for her role as Mandy Dingle in the ITV soap from 1995 to 2001 and again since 2019, shared her joy over the honour. 

She said: 'Wow if this is not my best 50th birthday present being awarded an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours list, I don't know what is. I am being awarded an MBE, Member of the Order of the British Empire, for my services to drama and to charity...

'To say I am humbled is an absolute understatement. To have been able to do my job as an actor for 36 years now, never having a day out of work in our industry, is an honour in itself'.

Her exciting day and MBE come after Lisa shared an update on an arm injury she described as 'horrendous' and required surgery.

The actress joined Kaye Adams, GK Barry and Denise Welch on Friday's episode of Loose Women. The episode began with Kaye Adams asking the star: 'Lisa, what's going on with the arm?'

Lisa replied: 'Well, it's like these chairs, these stools, that we've got here. Five weeks ago, just before I was about to go to New York, I was filming Emmerdale - with the court week that's about to be on next week.

'And I went home, said to Al, "Look babe, I'm tired. Put some soup in the microwave"'.

She went on: 'The stool I've been sat on for seven years - literally with a long cardigan - I think had been over polished. I sat down and whoop, I became a human sledge. Landed really badly.

'I had to have surgery on it, here I am week five now. So please say your prayers for me on May 6, I'm back with the specialist and [the cast] is going to come off.

'They let me travel - I was more worried because I was flying to New York literally four days later. So they've put this expandable cast on and it was Easter can you tell, went for an Easter colour.'

Lisa went on to describe the actual wound as 'now like a dog bite', adding: 'Obviously I'm going to have rehab now, physio as I move forward.

'It's been horrendous, I still can't move anything.'