Emmerdale legend ‘never feels safe’ as soap kills off another star

Emmerdale legend Lisa Riley has revealed her job insecurities in the increasingly fickle media industry.

The star, 48, has played Mandy Dingle in the ITV soap across two separate stints since 1995.

In episodes that air this week, we’ll see the aftermath of a deadly stunt that has seen two limousines hurtle towards an frozen lake.

With lives hanging in the balance, Metro has agreed not to confirm who is directly involved, who is dead or which car has made the plunge into the icy depths until after it has transmitted on TV.

However, we can reveal is that one vehicle has broken through the ice, and to make matters worse, a disturbing discovery is soon made.

Mandy was seen to swap her place with Dr Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson), so that he could pop the question to Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter).

Has she made a potentially grave mistake?

With a number of cast members departing across both Emmerdale and Coronation Street, plus upcoming budget cuts that will see episodes slashed down to 5 per week, Lisa has addressed the changes.

During the overhaul, it’s understood that any redundancies made will impact production teams rather than cast, though the actress has still said that TV bosses treat characters ‘like chess pieces’.

‘We are all jobbing actors on the soap and there is never a day where we come in and go: “Oh we are safe”,’ she said.

‘We are a chess piece on the producer’s board. Whatever they bring to us, we bring it to the screen.

Lisa continued to The Mirror: ‘There is always going to be a day when a new producer might come in and need a big wipe out.

‘That is what keeps the audience involved too and so we have to keep up with the climate of what people expect.’

Despite an underlying concern that your job is never safe, she added that public support has always been a welcome boost across her three decades in soapland.

‘Whenever I am out and about, people tell me: “We love Emmerdale”. The fact that I get to be part of it is wonderful’ she said.

‘ITV make some big dramas that can be five episodes long. We do five parts in a week. The hamster wheel never stops.’

From January, Emmerdale and Corrie will both air 30 minute instalments, Monday to Friday, in what has been dubbed a ‘power hour.’

An average of 104 episodes will be lost per year.

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