As Mandy makes her return to Emmerdale, Lisa remembers her eventful time on Strictly
Emmerdale star Lisa Riley has recalled how she proved the doubters wrong when she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2012.
On the eve of the show coming back to BBC1, Lisa, who’s returned to Emmerdale as a regular character, has spoken about how many people thought she was on the show “to be the funny one” and how she was thrilled when she proved she actually could dance.
Talking to TV Times, Lisa, 43, said: “Mandy Dingle has always proved people wrong and I wanted to do the same when I joined Strictly Come Dancing.
“Everyone thought I was going to be the fat, funny one and do what Anne Widdecombe did a couple of years before, but then Craig Revel Horwood admitted I could actually dance and I was thrilled.
“People thought I would be awful and then the next thing you know I’m doing the splits at Wembley! It is a really important lesson: never presume.
“Emmerdale taught me to not be the person I believed everyone thought I should be, but who I really am.”
Lisa, who partnered Robin Windsor, ended up going really far in Strictly Come Dancing, eventually becoming the 10th celebrity eliminated.
Strictly that year was won by Olympic gymnast star Louis Smith.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC1 this Saturday, while Emmerdale continues on ITV.
Main picture: FilmMagic
