Lisa Riley was partnered with Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor in 2012, but tragedy hit last year when Robin was found dead
Emmerdale icon Lisa Riley admits she “couldn’t love” Strictly Come Dancing’s Robin Windsor anymore if she tried. Lisa was partnered with the star on the tenth series of Strictly in 2012.
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They were the 10th couple eliminated from the show as Olympian Louis Smith and professional partner Flavia Cacace lifted the Glitterball Trophy. Tragedy struck last year when 44-year-old Robin was found dead in a hotel room.
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Strictly host Claudia Winkleman described Robin’s death as “heartbreaking” while fellow star Tess Daly said it was “such terribly sad news”. She went on to say that Robin was “gone too young”. Now Lisa, who stars as Mandy Dingle, described Robin as her “best friend in the world”.
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Nikita Kuzmin relaxes during Strictly Come Dancing rehearsals
Speaking to Best magazine, she said: “He is my forever angel and now he’s up there with my mum and I take real comfort from that.
“I couldn’t love that man anymore if I tried. We promised the day we spread his ashes that we would all get together every year, even if it’s just an hour, and remember him.”
Lisa’s mum Cath Riley died in 2012 following a short cancer battle. She described Cath as leaving “the biggest hole in her heart”.
Meanwhile Lisa says her time on Strictly “changed her life”. It was on the show that Lisa met her partner of 11 years Al, who was working on the band as part of the live tour.
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Lisa says she was reading a book on the tour, admitting that “no-one else reads the rubbish I read”, when Al came and struck up a conversation. She says he explained he had read the same book, leaving her “totally shocked”.
Their relationship blossomed gradually and they officially got together months later. And while Al and Lisa are now engaged, she has previously said they are in no rush to walk down the aisle.
In 2023, she said: “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it… We’re very happy as we are and while I love wearing the beautiful ring Al gave me, I’ve never been the kind of girl who longs for a big, flouncy day with a horse and carriage.
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“That kind of thing gives me the ick, to be honest. I’m never going to change my name, so really, what would be the difference? We call each other husband and wife, and have been together for nine years.”
Lisa, 49, joined Emmerdale in 1995, with Mandy experiencing her fair share of ups and downs since then. She recently escaped the Valentine’s Day limo crash being held hostage by Ella Forster as she begged to see Liam Cavanagh, and her son Vinny Dingle learning that she isn’t his biological mother.
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Away from the Dales, Lisa presented You’ve Been Framed! between 1998 and 2002 and was a regular on Loose Women. Between 2002 and 2005 she starred in Fat Friends alongside the likes of Ruth Jones and James Corden.
