Emmerdale Star Opens Up About Loneliness, Grief and Unexpected Strength
Lisa Riley, beloved for her vibrant energy as Mandy Dingle on Emmerdale, has revealed the emotional toll of her I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! journey — and the deeply personal moment when she nearly lost her spark.
The 49-year-old actress confessed that the pressures of jungle life, particularly following a grueling “fish gut” trial, brought her to the edge emotionally. Alone, covered in slime, and reeking of rotten fish, Lisa sat at the bottom of the Telegraph step — utterly defeated. “I had nothing. Everything I had was saturated… I just wanted time out,” she said.
It was then, away from the cameras and camaraderie, that Lisa turned to the one source of comfort she’s carried with her since 2012: her late mum, Cath. “I had a little word with my mum. I spoke to all my angels up there — but especially her. I said, ‘Mum, I need some strength. I’m struggling.’”
“Baby’s Lost Her Smile” – The Moment That Changed Everything
Fellow camper Ruby Wax was the first to notice Lisa’s light had dimmed. “Ruby went, ‘Baby’s lost her smile’,” Lisa recalled. “For Ruby to see that… I had no smile in me.” That recognition pushed Lisa to take a quiet walk down to the creek, where she could finally process what she was feeling.
Despite the overwhelming vulnerability, support came quickly. Lisa said her younger campmates — including Jack and Martin — became like sons, intuitively sensing her need for care. “Those boys… I was like a mother figure. They saw I was low, and they were there. My balloon had popped.”
Pushing Through Pain — And Losing 20lbs
Miraculously, Lisa bounced back. “The jungle became everything I wanted and more,” she said. In fact, the grueling routine, limited portions, and physical challenges led her to shed 20lbs. But it wasn’t just weight she left behind — she rediscovered resilience.
“People don’t realise it’s not just sitting by the campfire. The steps, the challenges, the never-stopping — it’s endless.”
Still Cheeky, Still Flirting
Even in her hardest moments, Lisa’s humour survived. When asked about her now-viral quip that she finds I’m A Celeb host Ant McPartlin “juicy,” she laughed it off. “I’m a flirt, always have been. But I know who I go home to — and who loves me.”
That someone is her fiancé of 12 years, Al. Lisa concluded, “Al knows what he’s got in me. I’m forward, I’m loud, I flirt — but I’m his, and he’s mine.”
