Lisa Riley has opened up about her own struggles with infertility as her on-screen Emmerdale character Mandy Dingle deals with the same issues.
The soap star, 44, previously revealed how she was told by medical experts that it is unlikely she will ever conceive, even via IVF due to the poor quality of her eggs.
But Lisa has insisted that although she feels people treat her ‘differently’ after the rounds of IVF failed, she feels ‘happy’ in her personal life due to her close relationship with her nieces and nephews.
Candid: Lisa Riley has opened up about her own struggles with infertility as her on-screen Emmerdale character Mandy Dingle deals with the same issues
During a chat on Digital Spy’s Soap Scoop podcast, Lisa said she didn’t feel like she was ‘missing out on anything’.
She said: ‘I’m elated we’re discussing it [infertility] because it’s opened a massive door for me as well…I’ve spoken openly in my own personal life, where my IVF didn’t work and people treat you differently.
‘It’s like ‘oh and are you okay with that?’…I’m very happy that in my own personal life I have a family, my niece, my two beautiful nephews are a huge part of my life – so yeah I don’t have a child of my own, but I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything.’
Lisa’s character Mandy had a miscarriage during one storyline earlier this year, which left her unable to have her own biological children.
On-screen: Lisa’s character Mandy (pictured) had a miscarriage during one storyline earlier this year, which left her unable to have her own biological children (pictured August 2020)
Discussing the public reaction to the scenes, Lisa said: ‘If you’d have seen my social media when the lockdown episode happened.
‘Inundated is not a big enough word. Just girls that were like 26 years old who had had hysterectomies and just to say thank you to Emmerdale for bringing it to the forefront….
‘We are going to re-visit the infertility because obviously Paul has no idea that Mandy was pregnant all those years ago with his baby.’
‘Some girls were as young as 20, 21, where they knew for the rest of their life they would never be able to biologically have a child, and I think that’s really difficult…
‘It’s an emotion that can set women up differently in life moving forward, so for us to tackle it in a soap opera, it gives us a lot of avenues to go down.
‘Because we now realise that Mandy’s been holding this emotion within and things can come to the forefront differently and that’s what you’re definitely going to see.’
This time last year Lisa said she refused to dwell on the fact she is unlikely to become a mum.
Open: The soap star, 44, previously revealed how she was told by medical experts that it is unlikely she will ever conceive, even via IVF due to the poor quality of her eggs (pictured 2020)
Lisa had tried for a baby with IVF following her dramatic 12 stone weight loss, but was left devastated when doctors delivered the news she was unlikely to get pregnant.
She told The Mirror: ‘It is just not meant to be. Since being back at Emmerdale I have heard so many positive stories about people who tried IVF and it didn’t work, but then fell pregnant naturally.
‘I wouldn’t go down the IVF route now but I will let nature take its course and, if I did fall pregnant, I would be thrilled.
‘But I am not going to dwell on it, no one is going to give me bad news again.’
Family: But Lisa has insisted that although she feels people treat her ‘differently’ after the rounds of IVF failed, she feels ‘happy’ in her personal life due to her close relationship with her nieces and nephews (pictured on Emmerdale recently)
In 2018, Lisa spoke about the devastating news that she and her musician fiancé, Al, were unlikely to conceive during an episode of Loose Women.
Appearing on the panel, the soap star revealed she tried the procedure for seven months, but realised it was not for her after a string of ‘rubbish’ results.
While she confessed she was a ‘wreck’ at the time, the former Strictly star assured she was ‘moving on’ from the prospect of having a baby, as she is more than happy living life with her ‘fantastic partner’.
She said at the time: ‘I went through it all and my other half was unbelievable. My readings were rubbish. I’ve tried it for seven months but it’s not for me.
‘It’s not that you feel like a failure – for me personally I kept it quiet and I decided it’s not for me and I’m moving on, so now I’m going to tell people about it.’
The panel praised her being so strong and using her experience to help others – but Lisa was quick to affirm that she still had her low moments during the emotional process, like any other woman.
‘I was an absolute wreck,’ she said. ‘You know how confident I am. And a tin of beans fell out the cupboard and it was the equivalent of losing my mum I was crying and crying!’
Listen to the full Lisa Riley interview on the Digital Spy ‘Soap Scoop’ podcast, available now.
If you have been affected by this story you can contact Supportline on 01708 765200 or visit https://www.supportline.org.uk/
Brave: During a chat on Digital Spy’s Soap Scoop podcast, Lisa said she didn’t feel like she was ‘missing out on anything’