Emmerdale star Lisa Riley shares her heartbreak over the death of a family member – weeks after her former Strictly partner Robin Windsor died

Emmerdale star Lisa Riley has shared her heartbreak at the death of a family member, weeks after she lost her former Strictly partner Robin Windsor.

Lisa, 47, who plays Mandy Dingle in the popular ITV soap, took to Instagram on Monday to share the tragic news that her Aunty Joyce had passed away.

The actress’s mother died from breast cancer in 2012, and in her post she referred to Joyce as her ‘second mum’.  

That same year, Lisa competed on BBCs Strictly Come Dancing alongside late professional dancer Robin – who was found dead in a London hotel room in last month.

‘Just when I thought my heart couldn’t hurt anymore,’ Lisa said in her post. ‘After just losing Robin, I have had more devastating news. Last night my 2nd Mum, my solid hand to hold since I was born, my gorgeous Aunty Joyce, has sadly passed away, joining my Mum, where they can now giggle again in heaven together.’

Lisa continued: ‘Who came to every single show I performed in since the age of 7…Aunty Joyce. Who came to every set and supported every inch of my career, Aunty Joyce. Constantly held me up when Mum passed, Aunty Joyce. 

‘Gave me confidence when I didn’t think I could do it, Aunty Joyce. Let me dress up, put makeup on and sing endless songs from Annie, Aunty Joyce. Who I drank my last glass of wine EVER with before I became sober Aunty Joyce.’

‘You lived your life to absolute fullest, travelled the world and I listened. It became my hunger to discover all the world has to offer. Your heart is bigger than anyone I have ever known, your kindness and empathy shone from you.’

Lisa went on to say that the thing she will miss the most is her aunt’s advice.

‘You know me inside out, back to front, and everything in between,’ she said. ‘I trust you the most, always have. REST IN PEACE. Who can I watch “BEACHES” with now???? We’ve only watched it over a hundred times. 

‘I love you, always will, but MOSTLY I thank you – for your time, endless time, when you knew I really needed it. You went to heaven on Mothers Day, can’t quite believe this. the biggest love to Uncle Jess and Si xxx.’

Her aunt’s death comes as Lisa continues to grieve the loss of her former Strictly partner Robin. 

Following his death in February, Lisa shared a collage of pictures of the pair and wrote: ‘My Bestie, My Robin, My Angel…….now our forever Angel, who is loved, will always be loved, forever in my heart……my very broken heart.

‘I love you, shine your beautiful, electric energy from heaven. SHINE IN PEACE.’ 

It comes after shared the reason why she will refuse to have a cancer screening, even though her mother passed away from the disease in 2012.

Lisa saw her on-screen family being warned they could carry a cancer-causing gene meaning they should be tested as soon as possible on a February episode of the show. 

In contrast to the Dingle family on Emmerdale, Lisa said she will opt out of a cancer screening after her mother, Cath, passed away from breast cancer aged 58. 

The actress added that her family have a history of being diagnosed with cancer, as both her two great-grandmothers had breast cancer, while she lost three grandparents to other forms of the disease.

Speaking to The Mirror, she said: ‘Awareness is very important and I do have an elective mammogram every year for my peace of mind, but not having the test is my choice’. 

‘I don’t want to be that person that lives with that for the rest of my life. I know people will judge me on that, but you’ve got to walk a day in my shoes.’

Despite her choice not to take a cancer screening, Lisa still said she was behind the show’s plot of making audiences aware of a faulty cancer gene.  

‘I love the fact that we are portraying this on telly as many people still might not be aware of the faulty gene. It’s wonderful to know that we will be teaching the audience about it, but personally, I don’t want to know.’

In a recent episode, Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter), informed the Dingle family she had been tested and had inherited the faulty BRCA2 gene which has caused her breast cancer. 

She also warned the rest of the Dingle family to get tested in case they had the same gene.

Famously highlighted by Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are faulty genes that significantly raise the risk of woman developing breast and ovarian cancer. 

These faulty genes also increase the risk of men developing male breast cancer and prostate or pancreatic cancer. 

Most women in the UK have a 15% chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime, a statistic that rises to 40-85% for women with the faulty BRCA2 gene and 65-85% for women with the faulty BRCA1 gene. 

There is also a 50% chance that anyone with this gene could pass it on to their children.

Lisa, an ambassador for the charity Breast Cancer Now, supports onscreen cousin Chas through her cancer battle but admitted that filming scenes with issues so close to her heart has been difficult. 

‘It’s sadly a story close to my heart and it has massively affected me,’ she stated.