Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley has been flooded with support as she marked a special milestone.
The soap star is well known for playing Mandy Dingle on the long-running ITV show. Away from Emmerdale Lisa likes to keep her fans updated with her life away from the fictional Yorkshire town.
She recently opened up about her previously alcohol addition as she celebrated being seven years sober. The actress quit alcohol as she admitted she was using drink as a "comfort blanket" to cope with the grief of losing her mum to cancer at the age of 57.
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Lisa decided to change her lifestyle and has taken to Instagram today to proudly reveal she is now seven years sober. Sharing a picture of a large number seven under a spotlight, she said: "It’s only fair I put it brightly in the spotlight. "Living a life to to the absolute fullest.
"Smiling from ear to ear. I don’t hide behind anything- Not needing 'liquid courage'……I have conversations because I want to, not because I’m bored - and let me please admit my favourite, I laugh naturally….
She said: "Loving that I’m living a clear, real, honest, sincere, true existence….There is never a day where I wake up and feel like I’m not ME….with a built in “natural courage” that has the confidence to say, “if you don’t like me….well so be it.
"I couldn’t care less, not one tiny inch what people think, and I love that, confidence and positivity puts the biggest spring in my step….Because for so so so many years I hid behind “drunk me” as I wasn’t happy. But happiness now flows through my veins….not Malbec."
The comment section was flooded with sweet supper from fans. Paige said: "CONGRATS!! SO PROUD". Martelle added: "Love this!!". Lorraine posted: "Well done you beautiful lady"
Helen said: "Congratulations, a massive milestone achievement". Glebehouse_garden commented: “Massive congratulations on seven years. I hope you have a lovely weekend.” Stillcleaninggat47_x added: “Well done Lisa. It’s something to be very proud of. It shows how strong you really are.”
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