Former Heartbeat star Tricia Penrose has delighted fans by sharing a series of romantic photographs from her honeymoon with new husband Chris Hargreves. The 56-year-old actress, who portrayed barmaid Gina Bellamy on the ITV drama from 1993 to 2010, showcased her happiness in a love heart-print bikini while enjoying the sun-drenched getaway.
Sun-Soaked Honeymoon
Tricia was also seen wearing a flowing green kaftan and shielding herself from the intense heat with sunglasses and a baseball cap. Her husband Chris, whom she married in a picturesque Lancashire ceremony earlier this month, stripped down to his swimming trunks to work on his tan. The couple admired breathtaking views from their balcony and posed for photos holding paddles inscribed with 'Mr and Mrs Hargreves'.
Captioning the images, Tricia wrote: 'We are having the best time and SO don't want to leave this beautiful villa. Still sunbathing now.'
Wedding and Relationship Journey
The actress appeared to take a subtle dig at her ex-husband Mark Simpkin when she walked down the aisle for the second time at Briars Hall Country Club. She took to social media to share loved-up snaps with Chris, whom she called the 'love of her life'. Tricia looked stunning in a white lace bridal gown with a Bardot neckline, fitted bodice, and full princess skirt, complete with a veil. Chris wore a light green suit with a crisp white shirt and dark tie.
The actress posted: 'Married the love of my life yesterday.' Fans and friends flooded the comments with congratulations, with one writing: 'Did you say yes in a heartbeat?' Others added: 'Congratulations xxx', 'You look amazing, congratulations to both of you', and 'Wishing you many happy years together'.
The couple went Instagram official in 2021, shortly after Tricia's divorce from Mark was made public. Their relationship grew stronger, and Chris proposed during a sun-soaked holiday in Tenerife last summer.
Previous Marriage
Tricia and Mark, with whom she shares sons Jake, 22, and Freddy, 17, split after 18 years of marriage. A source told The Sun at the time: 'They decided to go their separate ways after realising they had grown apart and it would be better for everyone that they ended the marriage.' The couple married in 2003 after a ceremony at Adlington Hall in Cheshire and renewed their vows in 2013. They met at the National Television Awards in 2001 and dated for three years before tying the knot and honeymooning in Bermuda.
Mark told Northern Life Magazine in 2015: 'I know this sounds really tacky, but as well as Tricia being my wife, she's also my best friend. We don't fall out; we work well as a team.'
Career Highlights
Tricia shot to fame with her role in Heartbeat and also appeared in spin-off The Royal, as well as soaps Brookside, Coronation Street, and Emmerdale. She participated in Comic Relief Does Fame Academy and Celebrity Big Brother in 2013, where she was evicted in the semi-final. She now works as a radio presenter on Radio Wirral. Her Instagram bio still reads: 'I played the part of Gina in ITV's Heartbeat for 18 years.' The Liverpool-born star became a pin-up after playing pub worker Gina in the Aidensfield Arms, later becoming landlady and marrying local bobby PC Phil Bellamy (Mark Jordan). The arrival of their son, Philip, brought a heartwarming end to series 17.
