Lisa Dingle (Jane Cox)

[heydrich39]

After everything the dingles have done in the past this was pretty mild.

[Perdita]

Former Emmerdale star Lisa Riley has confirmed that she won't be returning to the soap.

The actress played Mandy Dingle from 1995 to 2001 and also took part in last year's series of Strictly Come Dancing where she got eliminated in the semi-final.

When asked if she would ever return to Emmerdale, Riley said to the Radio Times: "They keep asking me. No. I'm an actor. I don't agree with actors who stay in soaps for ages, like more than ten years. It's not acting to me.

"You're playing the same character over and over again. You need to go off and be an actor. That's why we do what we do. It's not about being famous or anything like that, it's about doing our craft and that's playing different roles. I sort of pride myself on that.

"It's flattering. The public are like, 'Go back, go back'. But I've done that. But they think it's weird why I wouldn't go back."

Speaking about future roles, Riley said in her autobiography Never Judge a Book By Its Cover: "I just want to do a period drama more than anything else. I'm perfect. I'm fat, you know, I can be the cook downstairs. I'm perfect for it.

"Not Downton. That's been done to death. I want to play like an alternative Miss Havisham in Great Expectations. I think it should be a modern day Great Expectations - that would be my absolute dream role."

Riley's autobiography Never Judge a Book By Its Cover is on sale from today (November 7).

[lizann]

lisa played mandy dingle not lisa dingle

[Perdita]

Yes, she did ... hahaha, got her real name mixed up with a character name .. dohhh

[tammyy2j]

Lisa Dingle is at the centre of a big storyline this fortnight as she repeatedly urges her teenage daughter Belle to keep quiet over her violent clash with best friend Gemma Andrews.

A new plot on the ITV soap sees Gemma pass away in hospital after being injured in a scuffle with Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper).

With the circumstances surrounding Gemma's demise unclear to everyone else in the village, Belle wants to tell the police everything. However, when Belle confesses to her mum, Lisa advises her to keep the secret to herself.

What did you think when you first heard about this storyline?
"I thought that it was a huge story for a young person to do, and also a massive thing for the character of Belle to have to go through. I didn't know quite how it was going to play out until we started to film it, and since then it's been very emotional and intense."

Are you pleased for Eden as she's been given such a big story?
"I am excited for Eden - I think she's a wonderful, accomplished young actor and she's really developing incredibly well. Throughout this whole filming period, I've been so impressed by her professionalism and her emotional commitment to the whole story. I am very excited that she is being entrusted with it, and she can certainly carry it off as well as any other actor."

Will Belle's actions change the Dingles forever?
"The story will necessarily change the Dingles because somebody dying is such a huge thing, whether somebody is responsible for it or not. Gemma has been a close friend of Belle's and she's so young, so it will definitely have a knock-on effect."

Why is Lisa so adamant that Belle should keep quiet about what happened?
"From what Belle has told her, Lisa knows that it was an accident so she feels that it wouldn't do any good for Belle to go and say, 'Look, I killed her'. Clearly she hasn't - she did push her, but it was something that happened in the spur of the moment and Gemma got up afterwards.

"Belle thinks that she has killed Gemma, but there wasn't any premeditation or anything like that. Lisa knows that there was no intent from Belle for this to happen - it was a terrible accident that could happen to anyone at any time. Yes Belle and Gemma were cross with each other, but they're kids and it wasn't a deliberate thing."

Does Zak have any inkling that Lisa is keeping something so major from him?
"I think he does. They do have a few words and Zak says, 'I know something is up', but Lisa just says, 'I'm doing the best I can and you have to trust me'."

Ahead of Gemma's funeral, Belle goes missing for a while. How does Lisa react?
"Lisa obviously knows the pressures on Belle, as Belle thinks she has killed her best friend and so she runs off. Lisa doesn't know where on earth Belle is. Anything could have happened to her - her guilt could have made her do anything. She could have done something awful to herself, and that's what Lisa fears."

Fortunately, Belle returns and later goes through with attending Gemma's funeral. Can you tell us about those scenes?
"They were really awful to film. The thing that really set me off as a person was this lovely choir that we had there, singing 'Don't You Worry Child'. It was the purity of the voices. They were just normal kids and so beautiful as they were singing. There was obviously also a coffin there beside us, so I just couldn't stop crying. It was very sad.

"I'm sure it will be very emotional for the viewers to watch, too. A young girl has died, her father is there grieving and so it's an emotional day. Lisa is the only one there who knows what Belle is going through and she doesn't know what on earth Belle is going to say. Belle gets up and she starts to say something that Lisa thinks will be a confession, but luckily she doesn't go through with it. Instead she reads the lyrics to a song that Gemma liked."

Later, Belle does another disappearing act. Does Lisa think that she has confessed to the police?
"Belle rushes out of the church after the funeral, so Lisa thinks that if Belle hasn't gone home, she's gone straight to the police station."

Cain soon starts to become suspicious. Why is that?
"Cain's antennae are always out for the slightest thing! He notices that Lisa is acting a bit oddly. He's sharp as a knife."

Is Lisa relieved when she later decides to share the burden with Chas and Cain?
"By that point, Lisa is so anxious about Belle that she just blurts it out. She is very relieved that she's got them both with her. Chas and Cain absolutely agree that they should all keep it a secret. Cain is very frightened of what the truth could do to Zak, and he's also aware of what it's like to be involved with the police."

Is Lisa tempted to be honest with Zak too?
"I think she is tempted later on, but at this point she really doesn't want him to know. She is terrified that he could get ill again."

It's such a big secret - could it split Lisa and Zak up?
"I think it could, because of the underlying currents of what's going on. They row and later on in the story, they'll want different courses of action."

What advice would you give to Lisa?
"I think if I was a friend of Lisa's, I would advise her to go to the police with Belle and not be afraid to tell the truth, because it really was an accident."

[tammyy2j]

.

[tammyy2j]

Lisa Dingle will find her health taking a worrying turn next week as her financial worries mount.

When bailiffs arrive following Sam's increasing debt, a desperate Lisa does her best to find the cash but is left regretting her actions when she is caught red handed.

When Lisa makes a further sacrifice in order to spend time with her jailed daughter Belle, it is one step too far for her boss Jai and he gives Lisa the sack.

However, the stress becomes too much for Lisa and she is rushed into hospital after having a funny turn.

Here, Jane Cox - who plays Lisa - discusses the worrying time ahead for her character.

Lisa has had a lot of stress recently. How is she coping with it?
"Well, as Lisa does she just carries on. She makes herself busy, she tries to do the best she can for the family. And because she feels that she's the only one that can hold everybody together and everything, she just carries on. That's all she feels she can do, she just carries on."

What happens when the bailiffs turn up, does Lisa deal with it or is it becoming too much for her?
"Well it's a big shock to find out that something that Sam has been doing has caused the bailiffs to come take away their stuff. And then that leads them to find out more about Sam's increasing debts. And she finds out that he's got a credit card and all of these things have been going on. She always thought that Tracy was a really bad one and this is confirming it to her. So it's another terrible pressure because poor Sam is in this trouble."

Sam is quite a vulnerable person as well, isn't he?
"Yeah he's very vulnerable and always been preyed on by people, she feels. He's had a terrible time."

How does Sam react when they confront him? Do they have any idea about how much trouble he's in?
"He's upset and ashamed I think. And he doesn't quite realise how much trouble he is in. But this is hitting home to him with the bailiffs coming, he doesn't know what to do. I think it's hit him quite badly."

What does Lucy do to try to handle Sam's debt?
"Well it's thousands and they really have a go at him, her and Zach. She tries to think of anything she can do to make it better and so she goes to Debbie, hoping that Debbie might have quite a lot of money to be able to give but unfortunately Debbie's only got very little. It's like a drop in the ocean of Sam's debts. Lisa is so desperate and when she notices a petty cash tin in Jai's office, Lisa just on the spur of the moment quickly decides to take this money, which is something she wouldn't normally do. Then she feels terribly guilty and tries to put it back but then can't because Rishi is now there. When she does finally put it back, Jai walks in and thinks she's stealing it."

How does she feel when she's caught and given a warning by Jai?
"When she is caught by Jai and given a warning she feels absolutely terrible. But she is cross with him because what's pushed her to this as well is the fact that she can't have any time off for when her daughter comes home. She is really under such huge pressure, but she feels so upset and embarrassed because he tells her off in front of the whole factory. This is completely out of character for her. It is desperation."

What physical effects is she now experiencing, and why doesn't she tell anyone about her first funny turn?
"She is suddenly getting shorter breath, her heart is racing and she's started to feel pains in her chest. But she dismisses it because she doesn't want to worry anybody and she knows there's lots to get on with."

Is she worried herself? Does she think there's something up with her or is she just blind to it?
"No, she is worried. She is quite worried. So she does take herself to the doctor but she doesn't tell anybody about it. And the doctor says she's got to go and get checked over, but she doesn't go."

Belle comes back for a visit next week. Is Lisa pleased to see her?
"Oh Lisa's overjoyed to think Belle's coming home. She's been busy tidying the place an getting food ready, but unfortunately she has to go to work on the day that Belle comes back for a day visit which she's distraught about. She had already asked Jai, but he's not given her the time off so she's just on the point of crying all the time really at that. So she goes back to work and she can see Belle's really upset that she's not going to be there. But she is very excited to have her coming back."

Can you tell us how Lisa ends up getting fired?
"Well she goes back to work and then Kerry persuades her that Jai's busy doing something else, so nobody will notice if she isn't there. So stupidly she just whizzes out. In some ways stupidly, bus she's so desperate to see her daughter. She goes home and what she doesn't know is that Jai has seen her go. So she's at home with Belle and she pretends that she's been let out early, and then Jai turns up at the house and fires her. Which is another devastating thing again, in front of Belle."

What happens next?
"Lisa is feeling distraught and stressed, and whizzing up to the factory and back down again and not knowing what to do. She has also lied to Zak because Zak thinks that Jai is totally unfair firing her, and Lisa obviously hasn't told him that she nearly stole the petty cash. So Zak doesn't know what she's talking about. Zak doesn't know why Jai's suddenly come in and done this. And of course she hasn't told Zak that he didn't give her the time off. She's said to them that she's been allowed home. So they don't know anything about that. Lisa says, 'Leave it with me, I'll go to sort it out' and she goes back up to the factory to plead for the job. She needs it and they need the money. She pleads with Jai but her stress levels by now are nearly hitting the roof.

Does Jai start to sympathise with her?
"Oh no, Jai's having none of it. He is being very harsh - he has got his own problems that Lisa doesn't know about obviously. He's being very, very harsh and a bit unlike him because he's been quite kind in the long past. But he's being very not sympathetic to Lisa whatsoever at this point."

Lisa then collapses. Can you tell us what happens after this?
"Having realised that she is not going to get her job back from Jai, she kind of whizzes out of the office and then she gets a massive pain and can't breathe. She feels sick and is terrified because she feels like she's going to die. She's been given a spray by the doctor, but she can't reach it and she's stuck there. The ambulance comes and takes her away but she's devastated to think Belle might find out that this has happened to her and would it could do to Belle. She's terrified."

Zak blames Jai for Lisa's health problems. Why?
"He blames Jai because he doesn't know really what Lisa has told him is not entirely the truth, so Zak loathes Jai for that reason."

Lisa signs herself out of hospital. Does she realise how dangerous this is, and why does she do it?
"I think Lisa is feeling a bit better but not much. She is a bit better because she's had monitoring and her blood pressure has gone down a bit. I think she just feels that she hasn't got time to stay in hospital because there is just too much she's got to do. She has a family that needs her. She needs to get on and she needs to sort out things. She also needs to get her job back."

What do you think the future holds for Lisa?
"Although angina is a horrible heart illness, it's not necessarily life threatening. It's different from a heart attack - it's not the same as that. So what Lisa will immediately have to do is to try and take a bit more care with her health and try to alleviate the stress, although how she can in her family is easier said than done. It is the same for so many women who have so got much to juggle and particularly women who have low paid jobs and who maybe do two jobs at the same time."


]

[alan45]

E...

[alan45]

Emmerdale couple Lisa and Zak Dingle will worry further about their daughter Belle next week after she becomes embroiled in a drugs scandal.

Upcoming episodes see Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper) start taking legal highs which are supplied by her friend Lachlan White, as she sees them as the only way she can block out the 'voice' of her late friend Gemma Andrews.


© ITV
Jane Cox as Lisa Dingle

The troubled teenager also encourages Lachlan (Thomas Atkinson) to take a pill himself, but this has dire consequences when he suffers a shock seizure and is rushed to hospital.

Here, Jane Cox - who plays Lisa - reveals how Belle's parents will respond to her latest problems.

How is Lisa feeling about Belle's recent behaviour?
"Lisa realises that Belle isn't coping very well and she is incredibly concerned for her. Belle is quite subdued and she certainly isn't the same girl who went away after the trial. Everything that has happened has had a dramatic effect on her.

"Lisa keeps trying to tell Zak that there's something not quite right with Belle at the moment, but he doesn't seem to be able to see it. She is exasperated that Zak can't see there's something more than Belle just not being able to cope. Lisa feels that there is actually something disturbing Belle."

How do Lisa and Zak find out that Belle has been taking legal highs?
"Lisa and Zak are playing with Samson on New Year's Eve when he finds what he thinks is a sweet on the floor. He's about to eat it when Zak takes it off him. Lisa thinks there is something wrong because it looks like a tablet.

"Samson then says that he's seen Belle eating one of these 'sweeties', so that raises alarm bells for Lisa and Zak. They know they're definitely not sweets!"


© ITV
Lisa and Zak are concerned for Belle

How do they react?
"Lisa and Zak both want an honest dialogue with Belle after this. They want to tell Belle that they know about the tablets and it's something she simply must not do again. Belle says they're 'only legal highs', as if they're nothing important or harmful.

"Lisa and Zak then frighten Belle a little bit by asking whether she'd give one of these tablets to Samson. That stumps Belle, because she clearly wouldn't, so she promises that she won't take them again.

"Before this, I think Belle thought they were harmless. Being a teenager, she wouldn't have realised that legal highs are in fact very harmful. People put these things on the market, but they haven't been tested on anything and nobody really knows what's in them. Anything could happen to people if they take them."

How does Lisa hear about Lachlan's collapse?
"By this point, Belle has said that she's never going to take the pills again, so Lisa and Zak take pity on her. They let her go up to the big house because she wants to go and hang out with Lachlan there.

"The next thing that happens is that Belle suddenly rushes back to the Dingles' house in a terrible state, saying that Lachlan has collapsed. She admits that she has left him there and it's to do with these legal highs.

"Lisa also finds out that there wasn't anybody there looking out for them at the house. Lachlan's mother Chrissie should have been there, but nobody was. Lachlan and Belle had the place to themselves and could do whatever they wanted, which led to them taking these legal highs."


© ITV
Belle is horrified when Lachlan won't wake up


© ITV
Belle blames herself for Lachlan's fit

Do the Dingles have a long road ahead with Belle?
"They do, but at the moment they're just having to take each day as it comes because things are seeming to happen one after the other. Lisa and Zak know that something is troubling Belle because she's already been very upset in the village, she trashed David's shop and she has been drinking again.

"Lisa also finds out about Belle breaking into Edna's house and she can't possibly understand how that could have come about."

Are you proud of Eden's work on the storyline so far?
"Oh my goodness, that young actress has grown and it seems to me that she picks up and runs with any acting challenge that the Emmerdale team throw at her. She's working really hard on the storyline and I'm so impressed at her commitment and truthfulness when she's approaching a very difficult storyline.

"Eden has done research because you have to take these tasks seriously as an actor. It's part of one's job to be truthful in the representation of the character and what they go through. People do go through this in real life, so it is important and Eden is just being a fantastic actor and a very responsible person.

"There are also a lot of troubled youngsters out there in real life. I'm not saying everybody will be like Belle, but I think youngsters need people to talk to about things and they need a lot of support, because there is a lot of pressure on young people today."

[tammyy2j]

Where is Lisa?