Lisa Riley: ‘My life is far richer since I quit booze’

Since her first six-year stint as Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale in 1995 and with her subsequent return to the show in 2019, she’s amassed an army of fans thanks to her boundless enthusiasm, heartbreaking storylines and down-to-earth nature.

And like the iconic Mandy, actress Lisa Riley has triumphed over her own demons – transforming her body after losing a staggering 12st. And this summer she’s also celebrating seven years of sobriety.

Lisa, 44, openly admits she used to use alcohol as a crutch following the shattering loss of her beloved mum, Cath, who died from cancer in 2012. But she insists her life has changed for the better since ditching booze.

“I can’t see me ever having a drink again,” she tells Closer. “My life is richer without alcohol in it. I didn’t like the relationship with alcohol after my mum passed. I used it as a comfort blanket. A bottle or two of Malbec took the pain away and made me sleep, but it stopped me dealing with my grief.”

She adds, “I’m not an angry person – that’s not who I am – but I found in that particular time in my life I started getting really angry. Mum was so bloody young, she was my rock. I was so frustrated and the only thing that helped was a drink. But I realised it was taking my energy away from me, so I quit.”

And Lisa has never looked back since her last drink. “It’s the best decision I’ve ever made in my life,” she says. “No more ‘beer fear’, no more looking at my phone thinking, ‘Why did I text my ex from eight years ago last night?’ I’m a better person without alcohol – it wasn’t good for me.”

“But I’ve told the young ones in Emmerdale that once they are back in the pubs and they need a taxi at 2am, I’ll be there. They call me ‘Nana’ because I take care of everybody!”

While many people have flocked back into beer gardens as lockdown restrictions ease, Lisa is desperate to get back to the gym. Never one to shy away from a challenge, she overhauled her diet in 2014 by cutting out booze, sugar and snacks, and exercising daily, going from a size 30 to a size 14 and shedding 12st over a three-year period. She also had two operations to remove excess skin.

Now, Lisa has ditched junk food and credits daily workout sessions, HIIT (high intensity interval training), regular walks and limiting portion sizes to maintaining her new look.

“I’ve missed my gym group classes so much,” she says. “I can’t wait to get back to Body Pump, Aqua Fit and Zumba. I’ve been doing classes online throughout lockdown, but it’s not been the same. Like a lot of people, I’ve been sitting a lot more over the last year.”

But she’s not worried about putting on weight again. “I’m bigger than I was when

I initially lost all the weight. I was tiny then!” says Lisa, who returned to Emmerdale in 2019 after an 18-year break. “The joy of playing Mandy Dingle is that I like having her curves – she’s allowed to have a sexy bum!”

She adds, “I know myself. I need discipline, I love the gym and I know what I can and can’t eat. If you brought round four custard doughnuts, I couldn’t have one. I can’t have starchy stuff – so I just don’t have it in my house. But I don’t worry about putting on weight again. I’m happy in my own skin and feel really proud of what I’ve achieved.”

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Last year saw her alter ego Mandy open up about a historic miscarriage she’d suffered, and Lisa, who went through her own IVF heartbreak over the years and was unable to have children with fiancé Al, 50, admits she was elated to be able to shine a light on the topic of infertility in Emmerdale.

“I have had such an incredible response from women,” she says. “It would break your heart, and I try to personally reply to each and every one who has contacted me.”

However, Lisa says she has made peace with never having children. She says, “Al would never want me to go through IVF again because he said he lost the girl he fell in love with. I am so blessed with my wonderful nephews and nieces and godchildren, and we have taken full ownership of our life. I may not have 2.4 kids and a dog, but I have a beautiful bloody life. I wouldn't change it for the world – I’m so lucky.”

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Like so many in the spotlight, Lisa has been body-shamed and faced online abuse over the years. The star reveals she deals with her tormentors by following them back on social media to “freak them out” and insists trolling has only made her stronger. She says, “I’ve had the most horrendous things said to me over the years. When I did Strictly some of the stuff was just unforgivable, but the biggest two fingers up was how well I did in the competition. It just drives me to do better and better.

“But you can’t have it both ways, if you post a picture on social media you can’t expect everyone to like it. I’m lucky because I don’t let it get to me – but I do have a lot of sympathy for those who can’t cope with it, and I’d totally support laws to identify and penalise these cowards who hide behind their screens.”

Emmerdale, ITV, Monday to Friday at 7pm with an extra episode on Thursday at 8pm

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