IT is second time lucky for Emmerdale’s Mandy Dingle next week as she prepares to marry Paddy Kirk again in the soap’s wedding of the year.
But it is a move actress Lisa Riley won’t be copying — as she confirmed exclusively to The Sun that she has no plans to walk down the aisle since her mum died, despite getting engaged six years ago.
In true Emmerdale style, the telly nuptials are left on a knife-edge after Paddy discovers Mandy has secretly been running a side hustle as a “financial dominatrix” in return for cash.
In the soap she was also briefly married to her cousin Butch Dingle.
But Lisa said she won’t ever change her mind about getting hitched to long-term partner, musician Al, despite his proposal in 2018.
The 48-year-old actress, who has recently marked a decade with 54-year-old Al, has spoken in the past about how they have both felt it would be too difficult to contemplate a wedding without lost loved ones, including her beloved mum, who died in 2012.
But today, even if they were alive and costs went down, the couple would rather use the money to travel the world, she told The Sun.
In a tongue-in-cheek swipe, she confided she can’t understand why so many influencers are keen to splash out cash on an idyllic picture announcing their engagement.
She said: “Where are the days of going down on one knee, having asked the dad first, and asking, ‘will you marry me?’?
“The cost of weddings is ridiculous. Since the pandemic, it has risen massively.
“People don’t get engaged nowadays, they get Insta-engaged. They spend £400 on the right backdrop for their Instagram picture.
“Now it has to have a balloon arch . . . urgh!”
The no-nonsense actress added: “No bulls**t. That’s who I am. I will always only ever speak the truth.
“Al and I have just celebrated our tenth anniversary and he organised a beyond-gorgeous surprise for it.
“If we wanted to spend that kind of money, we would prefer to go to Japan, and discover something in the world that would enrich us.
“Being rich isn’t about being financially rich, it’s about seeing the world and discovering new things together.
“Travel is a big thing for us both. Besides, independence is the rock of who I am and independence is the rock of who Al is.
“When we go to the bank, he will say ‘that’s my wife’ and I will call him ‘my husband’.
“We use that terminology and there is nothing different other than I am wearing an engagement ring rather than a wedding band.
“We are happy as we are — I don’t see what that day would do. I dress up every day as Mandy Dingle, I don’t want to dress up as me.”
Her firm stance on not getting married is the exact opposite of her screen character.
She and Paddy (played by Dominic Brunt) are fan favourites.
They first got hitched in 1999 — after Mandy had briefly been wed to Butch — but split a year later when she had an affair.
Paddy went on to marry Emily Dingle, then Rhona Goskirk and Chas Dingle.
Mandy also nearly got married again — in a leopard-print dress — to her former boyfriend, Paul Ashdale, but that ended in tears after she found out he had been abusing his son, Vinny. Mandy has raised Vinny as her own since he was a baby.
Yet after falling in love for a second time with Paddy, fans will be left on tenterhooks wondering whether the couple will make it to the altar.
Paddy is furious to discover Mandy has been running a “fin-dom” business, where she is sent cash in return for being domineering during phone calls.
A desperate Mandy tries to reassure him after Paddy thinks she is offering callers sleazy sex chats.
Al and I have just celebrated our tenth anniversary and he organised a beyond-gorgeous surprise for it
Lisa explained: “Mandy has started doing financial domination as a side hustle. It’s her being a bossy cow and being paid lots of money.
“There is nothing seedy in it and it’s very popular nowadays. She is a Dingle and Dingle women stand on their own two feet.
“She has maxed out on her credit cards and she is in survival mode.
“But when she gets found out, she tries to tell Paddy it’s not what he thinks. She wants to pay for a nice surprise for their wedding.”
That wedding, she added, will go down to the “will they, won’t they?” wire. She teased: “Mandy is all dressed up and ready to go in a magical princess dress.
“There is no leopard print this time around. But Paddy is very upset about the revelation and there is a lot of running around. I don’t want to spoil it by revealing if they get to the altar or not. . . ”
The actress said she and Dominic have been inundated with messages from viewers begging for Mandy and Paddy to marry.
“Everywhere we go, people tell us they want Mandy and Paddy to get married,” said Lisa. “They are soulmates.”
As well as playing Mandy’s true love, Lisa said Dominic is also a brilliant friend off screen.
“We have so many years of trust,” she explained. “I know he will take my secrets to the grave and I will take his. He is such a great friend.”
He has also been a shoulder to cry on as she comes to terms with the untimely death in February of her close pal, Robin Windsor, whom she was partnered with on Strictly Come Dancing in 2012. She went on to finish 5th.
“It has been so hard,” she said. “There were days initially when I didn’t want to come to work. On one occasion, our amazing make-up artist, Nisha, had to rebuild my make-up three times.
Al has been phenomenal throughout it all, and Dom has been my rock too. I am still very close to Robin’s family.”
She added that she has been approached by the BBC to take part in a Strictly 20th anniversary special later this year. Hinting she has said yes, Lisa said: “Robin and I ripped up the rule book.”
Robin’s death, together with those of close relatives, has strengthened her resolve to make the most of every moment.
“With Al, I live for today,” she added. “We don’t plan. We don’t have children so we can do that. We very much live in the now.
“Their deaths are sadly the circle of life, though. There are joyous circles too, like our nieces and nephews. Life isn’t easy for anyone.”
Smiling, she admitted she is like a pushy parent when it comes to her niece, Everlyn, five, who she dotes on.
“She is more eccentric than I am,” joked Lisa.
“She is hilarious and I am so lucky to have her in my life. She got her first hip-hop certificate last week and I put every pushy mum to shame. I was so proud of her.”
The soap’s millions of fans will be relieved to hear Lisa loves playing Mandy as much now as she did when she took on the role nearly 30 years ago, in 1995.
She quit the soap in 2001 to pursue other projects, including hosting You’ve Been Framed, then returned in 2019.
You are only as good as your last episode
A true pro, she has grown used to the fame that comes with playing loudmouth Mandy, but has been alarmed by people who have tried to con fans pretending to be her on social media.
“People pre- tending to be you is horrid,” said Lisa. “The worst is when they ask for money.
“One was charging for autograph cards. I want to stress, we don’t charge if you write to the studio. We are always happy to send out autographs if people ask.
“Goodness only knows what would happen if you put your bank details in thinking you are going to get a signed card. There’s so much criminality now.”
She also stressed she won’t be quitting Emmerdale any time soon — news that will be welcomed by the soap’s millions of fans.
“I’d love to stay,” she admitted. “But you are only as good as your last episode. It only takes a producer to go, ‘I don’t see Paddy and Mandy’ and they are killed off.
“But I am so lucky to be in such a great soap. The hours are long so I can often be more Mandy Dingle than me, but it’s a ball playing her.”
