Lisa Riley is happy that COVID-19 restrictions mean you can’t have a big wedding – because she doesn’t want one.
The ‘Emmerdale’ actress is keen to wed her fiancé Al in front of just a small number of guests and is prepared to tie the knot under the UK’s coronavirus rules limiting numbers because the thought of a big ceremony makes her wince.
Lisa said: "We just keep laughing about the new rules. The idea of just 15 guests, cheap and cheerful, and the one you love is right for me."
The 44-year-old star, who plays Mandy Dingle in the ITV soap, adds that she doesn’t want a dramatic soap-style wedding.
She quipped: "I’ve been married twice in pretend life and I don’t want that for real."
Lisa added that the time she spent with Al during lockdown has made the pair feel as if they already married, even though they haven’t walked down the aisle.
She explained: "I always said lockdown was a sign. If you spend all those months together and don’t kill each other then you probably want to be together. I was like, ‘Should we get married?’ But it’s like we already are."
Lisa’s alter ego is currently at the centre of an infertility storyline and she revealed that she is keen to finish the plot before focusing on her marriage.
She remarked: "This storyline goes on until March and I’ve got a lot of scripts to get through."
The former ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ contestant also hopes that the story can help women who are struggling to deal with infertility and feels it has personal resonance as she has not had a child of her own.
Speaking on ‘Loose Women’ on Tuesday (29.09.20), Lisa said: "I’ve taken ownership of the fact that it is not going to happen for me and my Al but I hope this storyline can help girls going through the same problem."