Lisa Riley

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Lisa Riley (born 1975 in Bury, Greater Manchester) is an English actress and television presenter best known for playing the role of Mandy Dingle in the popular television soap opera Emmerdale and succeeding Jeremy Beadle on You've Been Framed.

Riley trained at the Oldham Theatre Workshop from the age of nine, and was signed by an agent three years later. After some early roles including extra work on Coronation Street and an appearance in Butterfly kiss which was directed by Michael Winterbottom, her first breakthrough role in UK television was playing the equally well-endowed character Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale over a period of six and a half years.

In 1996, Riley won the National Television Awards for Most popular newcomer for her work in Emmerdale.

Riley went on then to present the popular You've Been Framed show from 1998-2002, taking over from the former presenter, Jeremy Beadle and raising viewers figures to more than 13 million at its peak in the process. In 1999, Riley appeared opposite a young Jack P Shepherd in Pull Out More Fags and had a cameo role in the music video for "When the Going Gets Tough" by Boyzone. In 2000, Riley appeared in ITV's Christmas Pantomime Aladdin opposite stars such as Patsy Kensit, Julian Clary and Paul Merton and in 2001, Riley appeared in a commercial for Heineken.

Riley's other credits include roles in Fat Friends, The Bill, Holby City, Doctors, the BBC's Afternoon Play series, Having It off and the little seen film Secret Society.

On stage, Riley has appeared in many pantomimes (This year she stars with Sid Little in Aladdin at the Southport Theatre from 8 December to 6 January 2008) and in UK tours of The Play What I Wrote, The Vagina Monologues opposite Sharon Osbourne and The Naked Truth.

The 2006 album I Rock Eye Pop by Kings Have Long Arms includes a track titled Lisa Riley.

Riley describes herself as a "dedicated vegetarian"^[1] She is also known to be close friends with Antony Cotton.