{"id":98537,"date":"2025-08-28T11:00:06","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T11:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/98537\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T11:00:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T11:00:06","slug":"emmerdales-lisa-riley-celebrates-10-year-sober-milestone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/98537\/","title":{"rendered":"Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley celebrates 10-year sober milestone"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n Lisa Riley, best known for her role as bubbly bombshell Mandy Dingle in ITV soap, Emmerdale<\/a>, stopped drinking alcohol a decade ago and says that \u201clife feels brilliant\u201d without the booze.\n<\/p>\n

\n The 49-year-old first made her Emmerdale debut 30 years ago and has since become a much-loved household name.\n<\/p>\n

\n Speaking\u00a0to the Bury Times<\/a>, Lisa said: \u201cI had my last ever drink in a Bury pub<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cI was in The Clarence with relatives reminiscing about my mum one August.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe drank a lot and I said to myself, \u2018I\u2019m not doing this anymore.\u2019 I set myself a challenge to stop drinking until Christmas.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWhen I went to family christening that October, there was pressure to drink but that was everyone else\u2019s problem, not mine.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cI then started to play a bit of game with myself about how long I could go but got a bit obsessed and fixated on the numbers.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n \"LisaLisa Riley (Image: ITV) Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to the Bury Times morning newsletter as well as our breaking news alerts.<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n The actress has spoken openly about her grief after her mother Cath died<\/a> from cancer in 2012.\n<\/p>\n

\n Lisa added: \u201cBasically, my mum was ill and I was drinking as a coping mechanism. My dad was in denial and him and my brother dealt with it in their own ways.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cI felt like I was keeping the family ship sailing, that I was the pole of the family keeping that tent supported.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cAfter my mum died at my house<\/a>, I didn\u2019t take antidepressants or anything but would drink a bottle of Malbec or two to comfort myself.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n The former St Gabriel’s\u00a0pupil also shared a candid post with her Instagram<\/a> followers on August 19 to mark the occasion, saying that she has \u201cnever felt better\u201d after \u201chiding behind booze\u201d for many years of her life.\n<\/p>\n

\n Fellow Bury-born celebrity Suzanne Shaw left clapping emojis on the post while sober singer Lucy Spraggan congratulated Lisa on the milestone.\n<\/p>\n

\n Lisa enjoys spending time in her hometown of Bury with her partner Al, and her 6-year-old niece, Everlyn, who plays football for Bury FC<\/a> Juniors.\n<\/p>\n

\n \"LisaLisa Riley with her partner Al and niece Everlyn at Gigg Lane in Bury (Image: Lisa Riley\/supplied) READ NEXT:\u00a0\u2018We\u2019ve had a fantastic response so far\u2019 – as new business opens its doors<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n READ NEXT:\u00a0Lisa Riley shares memories of her late mum in new campaign<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n Reflecting on the ten-year achievement, Lisa continued: \u201cI\u2019ve realised how brilliant my life is and feel like I don\u2019t need it [alcohol]. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cIt\u2019s not like I ever faced a major struggle, I just don\u2019t need it, like it or want it anymore.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cEven at big events like soap and TV awards, I try and be home early and in bed by midnight. \u00a0My other half drinks which I don\u2019t mind at all, I just don\u2019t like all the small talk.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cGone are the days when old me would ask for 3pm train ticket and have drinks beforehand!\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cSome people find it weird but I\u2019ve always had a big personality and don\u2019t need a drink to shine.\u201d\n<\/p>\n