Fat Friends received over the hearts of the nation when it first broadcast on ITV over twenty years in the past.
The drama aired on the channel from October 2000 till March 2005, consisting of 25 episodes over 4 sequence.
Set in Leeds, the sequence explored the lives of a number of slimming membership members, with a concentrate on the assorted methods their weight has impacted upon them.
Whilst some plots proceed all through all 4 sequence, every episode targeted on one specific character.
In honour of present creator Kay Mellor turning 70 at present (May 11), Daily Star has determined to check out what the celebrities of Fat Friends have been up too for the reason that present ended 16 years in the past.
Alison Steadman OBE – Betty Simpson
Alison landed herself a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress for her function as Betty in Fat Friends.
The actress, now 74, appeared in all 4 sequence of the ITV drama.
She has had a vastly profitable profession each on tv, radio and movie.
Alison is greatest recognized for taking part in Pamela Shipman in Gavin and Stacey alongside her Fat Friends co-stars Ruth Jones and James Corden.
(Image: Getty Images)
She was ranked quantity 42 in Channel 4 ballot of fifty Greatest Actors voted by different actors.
Alison just lately appeared in Orphan Black, Hold the Sunset and Care.
In February this 12 months, the TV persona admitted she is obsessive about mushrooms and fungi and takes images of it every time she sees it.
Alison made the weird admission whereas filming Channel 4’s Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig.
James Corden OBE – Jamie Rymer
James performed Jamie in all 4 seasons of Fat Friends.
The TV star has gone on to have a vastly profitable profession on either side of the pond.
He teamed up with Ruth Jones to write down and star in hit BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey in addition to as receiving vital acclaim on the stage for his work in One Man, Two Guvnors on the West End.
In 2015, James was named as the brand new host of US speak present, The Late Late Show.
(Image: CBS through Getty Images)
He has interviewed among the largest names in showbiz from Britney Spears to Mariah Carey.
James, now 42, was appointed Order of the British Empire (OBE) within the 2015 New Year Honours for companies to drama.
The father of three has additionally appeared in a lot of Hollywood motion pictures together with Into the Woods, Cats and Peter Rabbit.
He was left gobsmacked final week when his beloved mum Margaret mentioned he wasn’t her favorite little one throughout her shock look on The Late Late Show.
Ruth Jones MBE – Kelly Chadwick
Kelly confronted many obstacles in her weight reduction journey on Fat Friends.
The most troublesome half for Ruth Jones’ character was the actual fact she labored in a fish and chip store.
The actress launched Gavin and Stacey with James two years after the ITV drama got here to an finish.
Ruth has additionally appeared in Stella, Little Britain and Saxondale.
She found that her grandfather helped to form the NHS throughout an emotion version of BBC present Who Do You Think You Are? Last 12 months.
(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
During filming, Ruth found how Henry’s work led him to foyer the then Minister of Health, Aneurin Bevan, the guy Welshman who grew to become referred to as the founding father of the NHS.
The mom of three was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) within the 2014 New Year Honours for companies to leisure.
As effectively as showing on our screens, Ruth, now 54, has additionally penned two novels.
Gaynor Faye – Lauren Harris
Gaynor, the daughter of Kay Mellor, performed struggling actress Lauren in Fat Friends.
One 12 months after Fat Friends completed, the actress, now 49, went onto win the primary ever sequence of Dancing on Ice in 2006.
She additionally performed Megan Macey on Emmerdale from 2012 till 2019.
Gaynor was pressured to apologise final month after she unintentionally swore stay on This Morning.
The TV star let slip the impolite phrase whereas being interview by Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford.
(Image: SOPA Images/LightRocket through Getty Images)
Earlier in March, Gaynor revealed that she’d wish to return to each Emmerdale and Coronation Street.
She advised the Sunday People: “I actually hoped I might have stayed at Emmerdale but it surely wasn’t doable. And they left the door open for me.
“I wouldn’t have dominated out going again to Coronation Street however I died!” she mentioned.
Gaynor performed Judy Mallett from 1995 till her loss of life in 1999.
Lisa Riley – Rebecca Pattinson
(Image: ITV1)
Some of probably the most heartbreaking scenes on Fat Friends noticed backyard employee Rebecca attempting to beat years of bullying.
Actress Lisa was already well-known within the showbiz world having beforehand performed Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale and introduced You’ve Been Framed.
Since taking part in Rebecca within the ITV drama, she’s gone on to star in a sequence of high-profile reveals akin to Three Girls, Scott and Bailey and Waterloo Road.
(Image: Getty Images)
She has additionally featured as a panellist on Loose Women and competed within the tenth sequence of BBC competitors Strictly Come Dancing.
Lisa, now 44, made headlines after shedding a whooping 12 stone to shrink from a dimension 30 to 16.
She sadly misplaced her beloved mum Cath to breast most cancers in 2012 and has since been elevating consciousness of the situation alongside charity Breast Cancer Now.
Lisa returned to the Yorkshire Dales in 2019 to reprise her function as Mandy in Emmerdale.
Lynda Baron – Norma Patterson
Lynda is greatest recognized for taking part in Aunt Mabel in award-winning kids’s sequence Come Outside.
She starred in Fat Friends as Norma and later went on to play Linda Clarke in Eastenders.
The actress, now 81, left the BBC One cleaning soap in 2009 to pursue different initiatives however later returned to Albert Square in 2016.
She has since landed roles in Casualty and Doctors.
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Lynda performed Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in comedy sequence Open All Hours from 1976 till 1985.
She additionally appeared in its sequel Still Open All Hours from 2013 till 2016.
Her movie appearances embrace roles in The Small World of Sammy Lee, Hot Millions, Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter and Carry On Columbus.
The mom of two additionally appeared in Scoop in 2018, a film directed by Woody Allen.
Richard Ridings – Alan Ashburn
(Image: Yorkshire Television)
Actor Richard performed Alan in simply 14 episodes of Fat Friends.
The TV star, now 62, has since proven his face on reveals akin to Dickensian and Jericho.
If you do not bear in mind his face, followers will certainly recognise his voice.
He’s lent his vocals to a lot of reveals – most notably voicing Daddy Pig in Peppa Pig.
In 2005, Richard took the lead function within the BBC Radio 4 sitcom Clement Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, taking part in a sexually obsessed obese ghost alongside Steve Furst and Amanda Abbington.
(Image: BBC/Remarkable TV/Endemol Shine UK Ltd)
He is the daddy of singer-songwriter Freya Ridings, who rose to prominence in 2017 together with her ballad Lost Without You.
Freya’s self-titled debut album was supported by the only “Castles”, which might change into her worldwide breakthrough.
The musical realized tips on how to play the guitar from watching Richard play.
