Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley shared an emotional update with her social media followers as she celebrated nine years of sobriety.

Emmerdale star Lisa Riley issued an emotional update as she marked nine years of sobriety. The 48-year-old, who has been open about her previous battle with alcoholism, was delighted to hit the huge milestone.

Alongside an image of a mug with the number nine on it, Lisa penned: “9 YEARS SOBER TODAY. 9 years of filling my cup with anything other than alcohol….When I decided to go sober, I never knew how long it would last, feeling pressures from others as to why!!!

“Well here’s why…..I feel FANTASTIC, I feel FREE, I don’t feel FAKE, I’m so much more HAPPY in my life, and I surround myself with POSITIVITY not diluted drivel and endless drama…..To everyone (you know who you are) who support me constantly, I love you……cheers with a cup of tea.”

Lisa’s friends and followers rushed to the comments to congratulate her on her sobriety, with one writing: “Really well done, my lovely. For me it’s just over 5 years – and SO worth it. Great work.”

Lisa turned to alcohol to help cope with her mother’s death (Image: ITV)

Another penned: “Congratulations and well done. I will be 4 years sober in October xx.” A third added: “Congratulations @lisajaneriley I have done 15 years and I feel more alive than I have ever done.”

Lisa opened up about her nine-year sobriety milestone during an interview on Lorraine. Speaking to host Ranvir Singh on Thursday (August 15), the soap star admitted she used alcohol to “self medicate” after her mother died.

“I’ve spoken a lot about this. I was self medicating with alcohol,” she said. “I wasn’t sleeping because I’d lost my mum and I wasn’t coping very well.” The Mandy Dingle star confessed she was drinking two bottles of Malbec a night to help her sleep before quitting altogether.

Lisa opened up about her battle with alcoholism on Lorraine (Image: ITV)

She added: “I’m going to be nine years sober, I just stopped drinking for the good and the better for me. I prefer me now I’m sober. I never thought that I’d be sat here with you now saying that this coming Monday I’m nine years sober.”

Unable to get through events without alcohol, Lisa explained how she would play games with herself about how long she could go without alcohol. The TV star remarked: “All of a sudden you become obsessed.

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