Emmerdale favourite Jane Cox has revealed that Lisa Dingle will lose it over Belle’s illness, even turning to crime to help her.
Desperate mum Lisa, played by Jane, has been searching for daughter Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper) who went on the run after faking a pregnancy earlier in the year and has been sleeping rough.
She’s in for some good news when Belle is found, but her joy will be short-lived as she discovers the extent of her mental health problems that led to her running away.
Jane explained: “She’s ecstatic because she thought she’d never see her again. She didn’t want to admit to herself that she might be dead, but she was in denial about that really. She had convinced herself that Belle didn’t want to be with them instead. But to hear that Belle was alive was just the most amazing thing ever. She was knocked sideways, she was so happy.”
After arriving back in the village, Belle is sectioned as doctors suspect she’s schizophrenic and Lisa is devastated to learn that the only hospital bed available is in Surrey, unless she goes private.
Determined to keep her daughter in Yorkshire, Lisa takes drastic measures although ultimately it is too late as Belle has already gone to the Surrey hospital.
Jane revealed: “Lisa decides to nick Chrissie’s car and get Charity to sell it, which is just totally out of character. She is desperate, she’s been begging people for money to try to get a private place, but of course that’s impossible. She’s deluded herself into thinking that’s the case and she’s gone a bit potty at this point because she is so desperate.
“There’s no bed in the north of England, and this is very accurate of course in mental health treatment. I think it’s very important for situations like this to be reflected in our programme and we do try to give people some insight into how things happen.”
She added of Eden’s performance: “She’s been absolutely brilliant, the more I work with her, the more I’m in awe of her, as an actor and as a human being. She’s wonderful and very keen to get everything right. She must be exhausted, she’s had to be in nearly every episode and at a high pitch of upset. She’s brilliant and lovely.”
Lisa has been having a tough time over more than just Belle, as ex-husband Zak (Steve Halliwell) recently married Joanie Wright (Denise Black) who he left her for.
Jane said: “I don’t think Lisa will look for love. I don’t think she’d be interested after this heartbreak. It was very emotional for Lisa seeing Zak and Joanie get wed. But there was nothing she could do about it and she just had to carry on even though she’s absolutely heartbroken.”
Emmerdale continues on ITV on weekdays.
