Emmerdale’s Mandy Dingle’s exit revealed as Lisa Riley joins I’m A Celeb
Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley is trading the Dales for the jungle as she joins I’m A Celebrity, leaving fans excited to see tackle the creepy crawlies and challeneges in the next few weekes
Lisa Riley(Image: Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)
Emmerdale fans are set to say goodbye to Mandy Dingle as actress Lisa Riley takes a break from the ITV soap to appear on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
The ITV reality show returns on Sunday, November 16, with Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly back at the helm. This year’s line-up is packed with familiar faces. Alongside Lisa, this year’s contestants include comedian Ruby Wax, rapper Aitch (real name Harrison Armstrong), social media star Morgan Burtwistle, better known as Angryginge, EastEnders’ Shona McCarty, comedian Eddie Kadi, and Spandau Ballet star Martin Kemp.
Mandy Dingle has long been a staple of Emmerdale. She first appeared in the ITV soap in 1995 and became a fan favourite. The actress has already filmed her final scenes and is set to return to the screens next year, according to a report.
Lisa Riley is excited to be part of the I’m a Celeb line-up(Image: ITV)
A source told the Sun, “Mandy’s exit will be lowkey and very brief” They added, “Lisa filmed her scenes last week, Mandy goes to visit friends and will be back before you know it.
“She’ll be back filming full throttle once she’s back from her trip down under too. Fans won’t have long to wait for her return once the scenes air next year.”
Lisa, who has played her beloved character for more than a decade, reportedly finally agreed to enter the jungle after years of being approached by show bosses. After joining Emmerdale in 1995, Lisa briefly left the show a year later but returned in November 2001, and has remained a beloved presence on screen ever since.
Aside from the soap, Lisa was formerly a presenter of You’ve Been Framed!, appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and as a panellist on Loose Women.
The actress won’t be appearing as Mandy Dingle for a few weeks
This week, it was revealed that Lisa was the second contestant to touch down in Australia. On arrival, she could not resist a nod to her soap roots, “We did “Dingle Down Under” many years ago, so it’s only fair that we do it again.”
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Lisa explained why she was ready to tackle the gruelling series. Despite the prospect of creepy crawlies and harsh jungle conditions, she remains undaunted.
“My family are really rooting for me, they’re really happy that I’m here. I’m fine with creepy crawlies, I’ve worked on a farm for many years so it’s part of the job being Mandy Dingle,” she said.
‘I’m looking forward to the lovely people, I’m a people person, and somebody who likes to chatter. I’ve got lots of stuff because I’m such a girlie girl.’ She added, “There’s a lot of bling, I’ve just got many options.”
She has long harboured a wish to take part in the show, sharing, “I’m A Celebrity… is something I would do before I turned 50 as a test for myself.’
Her time in Emmerdale has seen Mandy involved in countless memorable storylines. Last year’s I’m A Celebrity series saw McFly’s Danny Jones crowned champion, beating a star-studded line-up including Coleen Rooney, Maura Higgins, GK Barry, and Reverend Richard Coles.
