Lisa Riley Opens Up: From Panic Attacks to Fertility Heartbreak, the Emmerdale Star Shares Her Real-Life Struggles
As she leaves the jungle, Lisa reflects on grief, health battles, and finding peace beyond Mandy Dingle
A Heartfelt Journey in the Jungle
Emmerdale icon Lisa Riley recently exited I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, but her time in the jungle left a lasting impression. Candid and unfiltered, Lisa opened up to her campmates about the deeply personal battles she’s faced off screen—battles that range from devastating grief to a long journey with weight loss and fertility.
Her fans have long admired her resilience, but her latest revelations show just how much strength she’s had to summon over the years.
Fertility Struggles and Acceptance
Lisa has spoken openly about her heartbreak over not being able to conceive with her fiancé, Al Benkovic. In an emotional moment, she revealed that fertility treatment took a toll both physically and mentally.
“My body was being pumped full of hormones… it messes with your head,” Lisa told Hello!.
After years of trying, she came to terms with the reality that motherhood, in the traditional sense, may not be part of her path. Adoption was ruled out too, as she feared she couldn’t emotionally handle the uncertainty that came with it.
“I feel like an unfinished jigsaw,” she said, “but I’m okay with it.”
Instead, Lisa finds joy in being “the best auntie in the world” to her nephews and niece—and even cited this as her reason for braving the jungle experience.
Panic Attacks and the Pressures of Fame
Lisa became a household name in the 1990s as Mandy Dingle, but fame came at a cost. She recalled being overwhelmed by tabloid attention during her early years on Emmerdale, leading to frequent panic attacks.
“I felt claustrophobic… me, Patsy Palmer, and Martine McCutcheon were followed everywhere.”
Therapy wasn’t part of her coping strategy back then. Instead, she credited her late mother for keeping her grounded during those difficult years.
After stepping away from the soap in 2001 and returning in 2019, Lisa said she now embraces her role as a mentor to younger cast members.
Coping with Grief—Twice Over
Lisa’s mother, Cath, passed away in 2012 from cancer—a loss that Lisa still deeply feels. Cath was Lisa’s anchor, and her death left a profound void.
“Mum made me look timid… she was the oxygen in the room.”
Lisa later faced more grief with the passing of her mother-in-law. She now leans on her tight-knit family and uses her role as Mandy to mask her pain on tough days.
“Some days I live vicariously through Mandy. The lashes, the wig—it helps me push through.”
A Health Transformation Fueled by Self-Love
Over the past decade, Lisa has shed 12 stone through sheer dedication to fitness and nutrition. She ditched fad diets, embraced portion control, and eliminated alcohol—a former “comfort blanket.”
“I’m now a size 16–18. At my biggest, I was a 28.”
Lisa also underwent surgery to remove excess skin, a step she documented in her ITV special Lisa Riley’s Baggy Body Club. It wasn’t an easy road, but today, she says she “couldn’t be happier” with her body.
Moving Forward with Strength
From fertility heartbreak to personal health victories, Lisa Riley continues to be a symbol of perseverance. Her I’m A Celeb journey reminded viewers that behind every soap star is a real person with struggles, strength, and stories worth telling.
Have Lisa’s candid admissions inspired you? What do you think of how she’s navigated her toughest chapters both on and off screen?