Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley has revealed the profound personal reasons behind her decision to finally enter the I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! jungle, citing a tragic loss from her time on Strictly Come Dancing as a key motivator.
A Time for Reflection and New Challenges
The 49-year-old star, best known for playing Mandy Dingle, was one of the first celebrities to arrive in Brisbane ahead of the ITV show's launch. Despite being asked to join the reality series multiple times in the past, Lisa explained that now feels like the perfect moment.
"The reason I'm going is I'm going to be 50 next year," she stated, highlighting a significant personal crossroads. She also marks 30 years since she first appeared on Emmerdale and a decade of being sober, describing this period as a "big baguette where everything I wasn't was in it."
The Heartbreaking Inspiration
Beyond the milestones, Lisa opened up about how profound loss reshaped her perspective on life. She spoke about the death of her mother from breast cancer at the age of 48, a reality that hits close to home as Lisa is now 49.
Most poignantly, she discussed the impact of losing her "best friend" and former Strictly Come Dancing partner, Robin Windsor. The professional dancer, who was paired with Lisa during the 2012 series where they reached the semi-finals, died in February last year at the age of 44.
"Nothing can be as bad as that in life and I have got to see if I can do it," Lisa said, referring to the jungle challenge. "Every day is a blessing and I want to really enjoy everything."
Jungle Dreams and Sober Celebrations
Looking ahead to her time in camp, Lisa has clear goals. She joked about the potential for "telly gold" during the physical Cyclone challenge, quipping, "My boobs on the cyclone. Do you need any more than that?"
She also expressed a strong desire to reach the famous jungle pub, promising a different kind of celebration. "I can party until 5am being sober, and I want to be sober in that jungle pub and be the one doing all the songs," she revealed.
Lisa confirmed she has the full support of her Emmerdale colleagues, who have assured her that her character will be waiting for her upon her return. She also received some simple but effective advice from the show's 2021 winner, Danny Miller, who told her, "just to be myself." With no other agenda, Lisa Riley is ready to embrace the jungle experience for everything it's worth.
