Lisa Riley awarded MBE in King's Birthday Honours

Actress Lisa Riley has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the King's Birthday Honours list, announced on June 13, 2026. The honour recognises her services to drama and to charity.

Riley, who will turn 50 on July 13, described the award as the best possible birthday present. She is best known for her long-running role as Mandy Dingle on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, which she first played from 1995 to 2001 and returned to in 2019. She is the first cast member from the show to receive an MBE.

In a statement, Riley expressed profound gratitude, calling the recognition an understatement of her feelings. She reflected on a 36-year acting career without a day out of work as an honour in itself. Her charitable work is deeply personal, driven by the loss of her mother, Cath, to pancreatic cancer. Riley serves as an ambassador for several charities, including Breast Cancer Now, Maggie's Yorkshire, Sane, and Sue Ryder, stating that giving back was a promise she made to her mother.

Iain Macleod, creative director of continuing drama at ITV, offered congratulations, praising Riley as a much-loved presence both on screen and behind the scenes. He highlighted...