Emmerdale favourite Lisa Riley pushed herself to the limit this week as she faced one of her deepest fears in preparation for her upcoming appearance on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here. The actress, known to millions as Mandy Dingle, posted emotional footage of herself holding not one but two live rats during a self imposed challenge on the soap set.

A Terrifying Test Behind the Scenes

The video began with Lisa visibly shaking as she arrived at the studio. She had set herself one goal. Touch a rat for the very first time. With the animal rescue team guiding her, she took a hesitant breath before lifting the rat into her hands.

Moments later, the creature crawled up her arm and settled on her shoulder. Lisa’s face crumpled as she fought back tears. Fear dissolved into pride. She whispered a quick thank you and allowed herself to feel the moment. Victory had arrived in the unlikeliest form.

Then she pushed even further. A second rat joined the first, both perched calmly on her shoulders as she closed her eyes and said softly, “I am thinking it is only a toy. Does that make sense?”

Preparing for the Jungle

With the new series of I’m A Celebrity set to launch on Sunday night, Lisa confirmed she is ready for anything. She laughed through her nerves and promised viewers that if anyone in camp behaves badly, her inner Mandy Dingle will come out fast.

Producers have reportedly asked Lisa several times to join the series. This year felt different. She is approaching her fiftieth birthday. She is celebrating twenty five years of playing Mandy. She has reached ten years of sobriety. She has endured deep personal loss. Now she wants to live boldly again.

“I lost my best friend recently,” she said. “My mum was diagnosed at forty eight. I am forty nine. Nothing can be as bad as that. I need to see if I can do this. Every day is a blessing.”

A Temporary Farewell to the Dales

Lisa filmed her latest Emmerdale scenes before flying out to Australia. Mandy will take a short trip to visit friends, giving Lisa time to face the jungle trials head on.

A production source revealed that her break will be brief. Mandy will return early next year and will step back into village life without delay.

The Road Ahead

Lisa entered this challenge shaking. She ended it smiling. Her courage speaks for itself. The rats were only the beginning. Now the jungle awaits her with snakes, spiders, and trials that test every ounce of strength.

But after watching her stare down one of her biggest fears in the quiet corners of the Emmerdale set, one thing feels certain. Lisa Riley is ready.