Lisa Riley's Emmerdale future revealed as she joins I'm A Celebrity 2025 cast

I'm A Celebrity contestant Lisa Riley has shared the 'lovely message' she received from co-star Danny Miller following confirmation of her Emmerdale future.

The Bury-born actress was amongst ten celebrities announced on Monday (November 10) who will be entering the Australian jungle for the popular Ant and Dec programme.

Lisa, who is marking three decades portraying Mandy Dingle this year, joins fellow soap actors including former EastEnders favourites Martin Kemp and Shona McGarty.

The ITV reality programme will also feature rapper Aitch, Loose Women host Kelly Brook, Ozzy Osbourne's son Jack and content creator Angry Ginge.

Viewers will see Mandy absent from Emmerdale for multiple weeks, as soap actors are typically written out whilst participating in I'm A Celebrity, which usually spans three weeks.

Lisa's character Mandy is presently assisting husband Paddy Kirk in locating his father Bear, who disappeared several weeks previously.

Last week's ITV soap episodes disclosed that Bear isn't in Ireland as his son thought, but is actually being detained in a modern slavery plot.

After weeks of speculation about her I'm A Celebrity participation, Lisa has reassured audiences she'll return to the Dales following the series finale.

"Mandy Dingle will be back," she confirmed.

Someone certain to have offered Lisa plenty of guidance is Danny Miller, who portrays Aaron Dingle and triumphed in the 2021 series, filmed at Gwrych Castle in Abergele, Wales during the pandemic. "Everyone at Emmerdale has been so lovely. Danny Miller just told me to be myself. I've got no agenda doing this," Lisa shared.

Lisa also unveiled why she finally agreed to join I'm A Celebrity, after being approached multiple times previously.

She disclosed: "They have asked me to be in it numerous times before - but now I've finally said 'yes'. The reason is I'm going to be 50 next year, it's thirty years on and off playing Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale and ten years of being sober.

"It's like a big baguette where everything I wanted was in it! And it's I'm A Celebrity's 25th series anniversary too.

"Forget the NTAs and BAFTAs, the fact I'm going in the jungle means I am hopefully the best auntie in the world to my nephews, Jakey and Joshua, and niece, Everlyn. I can forever say to them It tackled the jungle head on. It's going to be ace."

Lisa continued: "I lost my best friend not so long ago and mum got diagnosed at the age of 48 (with breast cancer), I'm 49. Nothing can be as bad as that in life and I have got to see if I can do it. Every day is a blessing and I want to really enjoy everything."

Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 at 7.30pm and available to stream from 7am on ITVX and I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! returns Sunday, November 16 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX