DINGLE ALL THE WAY!
There’s going to be an Emmerdale family reunion in early 2019…
The news that Mandy Dingle is to return to Emmerdale has been greeted with enthusiasm by fans, leaving actress Lisa Riley, who last played the role 17 years ago, overwhelmed…
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all your incredibly gorgeous, positive messages regarding my character Mandy coming back to
Emmerdale – I am blown away!” she tweeted.
“To share my news with everyone has been so exciting, and then to get this reaction, has made my day – I’m beyond giddy.”
The actress will make her on-screen return to the soap where she made her name in the new year, in what’s described as a short ‘self-contained’ storyline. She was last seen in 2001, where she tried to reunite with husband Paddy after her affair destroyed their marriage. So what brings her back after all this time?
“Mandy returns to the village carrying a secret that turns lives upside down,” says producer Kate Brooks. “She’s a character bursting with fun who certainly ruffles a few feathers during her short stint back in the village. She clearly hasn’t lost any of the joie de vivre that made Mandy so popular and enjoyable to watch.”
Since leaving Emmerdale,
Lisa has made a name for herself as a TV presenter and personality – particularly as a competitor in 2012’s
Strictly Come Dancing – and has continued acting in dramas such as Fat Friends,
Three Girls and Age Before
Beauty. But she still admits to having some nerves…
“My biggest thanks goes to my fellow cast members who have welcomed me back with open arms and helped me find my way – being the new girl at school again!” she laughs.