In my head I'm still 21'

Emmerdale star Lisa Riley tells us why she'll never stop smiling, whatever life throws her way

- SUE CRAWFORD

This year marks two huge anniversaries for Emmerdale actor Lisa, and she plans to celebrate them both to the hilt-but only with a glass of sparkling water.

In July it will be 30 years since larger-than-life, barrel of fun Mandy Dingle burst into the nation's living rooms.

And then a month later, Lisa celebrates a decade of being alcohol-free after giving up drinking in 2015. 'Both of them I'm insanely proud of; it's a massive year,' she smiles.

The popular actor decided to give up drinking after deciding that alcohol was affecting her life too much. 'Drink numbs everything,' she explains. 'The old me would go to a party that I didn't want to go to and get really drunk, because I didn't want to be there and I was bored.

'I'd rather be at home with my partner Al. I don't want to sound like an old nana, but that's the gospel truth.

'I was probably having a bottle too many. Now it's not a part of my life. I don't need it and I don't want it.' Lisa has been with musician AI since they met at a Strictly Come Dancing tour event in 2014. And she reveals that humour is the glue that keeps them together.

'Humour is much more important than romance in a relationship,' she explains.