Emmerdale star says ‘never thought I’d be here now’ as she opens up on personal battle

Lisa Riley has bravely opened up about her alcohol addiction as she marks being nine years sober next week and says she’s now in a “better place” after making the lifestyle change

Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley has candidly opened up about personal battle with alcohol as she prepares to mark a special milestone.

The 48-year-old actress, best known for playing Mandy Dingle in the ITV soap, appeared on Lorraine on Thursday (August 15) to discuss her upcoming storyline.

However, conversation turned to her being nine years sober next week after she decided to make a lifestyle change following years of self-medicating the booze.

Host Ranvir Singh pointed out: “You’ve got an anniversary coming up on Monday, haven’t you? Tell us about it because it’s something that touches a nerve with a lot of my friends I know.”

**Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley has candidly opened up about personal battle with alcohol as she prepares to mark a special milestone** (Image: ITV)

Lisa replied: “I’m nine years sober. I just stopped drinking for the good and for the better for me. I prefer me now. I never thought I’d be sat here now saying that this coming Monday i’d be nine years sober.

Ranvir added: “What was it nine years ago for you, if you don’t mind me asking, that you thought ‘I don’t want to do this anymore’.

**The actress is best known for playing Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale** (Image: ITV)

Lisa said: “I’ve spoken about this. I was self-medicated I know that with alcohol. I wasn’t sleeping because I’d lost my mum and I wasn’t coping very well. You know getting up early for work, you have to go to bed because you’re going knackered.

“A bottle and a half, two bottles helped me completely in those times and it was just a game I played with myself. I’m going to try and get through a christening, I’m going to try and get through Christmas without it and all of a sudden you become obsessed with the fact I can say I can say ‘nine years ago’.

**Lisa says she’s now in a “better place” and giving up booze** (Image: Getty Images)

“Back then it was ‘I’ve done three months, I’ve done four months’ and that becomes the obsession or the addiction the drink had on me.

“I never thought that I’d be here now but I love it. The fake of me has completely gone and I don’t ever want to have that back and it’s a better place to be.”

Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 and ITVX at 7.30pm