Lisa Dingle
Encyclopedia
Lisa May Dingle is a fictional character
in the British
soap opera
Emmerdale
played by Jane Cox
.
for the role. Lisa first appeared in August 1996, as a potential love interest for Zak Dingle
(Steve Halliwell
) after his wife Nellie Dingle (Sandra Gough
) left to care for her father in Ireland
.
Jane Cox really enjoyed the chance to play Lisa Clegg. In an interview shortly after landing the role of Lisa, Cox stated [...] 'I was told that Lisa was a big lady and most comfortable in wellington boots [...] . Jane Cox had originally auditioned for the role of Nellie Dingle. However Mervyn Watson gave the role to Sandra Gough, Cox was pleased she got the part of Lisa Clegg instead because she really enjoyed the character. [...] She's very practical and down to earth. I like the fact that she spends most of the time in a boiler suit but can be sassy.[...]
, she was instantly smitten. While other women may have been turned off by Zak’s dodgy dealing and oddball family, Lisa didn’t care about any of it. However, the path of true love didn’t run smoothly for the couple - especially when Lisa’s ex-husband, Barry, turned up and tried to blow up the Dingle homestead.
Despite their problems, Zak and Lisa married on January 28, 1998. Family troubles kept them busy during that year, but Zak and Lisa were about to get a Christmas present they’d never forget.
On Christmas Day 1998, Lisa went into the barn to check on the animals and delivered a baby she had no idea she was expecting!
The arrival of baby Belle
served to deepen Zak and Lisa’s marriage, even surviving the nightmare that was Zak’s ex-wife Nellie’s stay in the village.
Lisa was deeply saddened when Zak’s son Butch was killed in a bus crash in the village. She even moved out when it was clear Zak blamed her as she’d fixed the brakes on the vehicle before it crashed. After a few months, Zak realised he couldn’t live without Lisa and begged her to move back in.
In 2001, tragedy hit again when Zak was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Zak overcame the disease with Lisa's love and support and repaid his wife by inviting his mother Peg to move in. With Peg around, tensions in the Dingle household reached fever pitch. When she went, everyone was relieved.
The family was split again when Zak went off to South America in 2002 in search of the Dingle treasure - without Lisa’s blessing. With her husband away, Lisa felt vulnerable - especially with Zak’s sleazy brother, Shadrach, coming on to her all the time. In the end, Lisa resorted to violent tactics to make Shadrach back off and was relieved he got the message.
Although she enjoyed a few dates with Bob Hope
’s brother Eddie, it was clear that Zak was still the man for Lisa - a fact confirmed by his return and their subsequent reunion.
If Lisa and Zak thought life would be simpler now they were older, they were wrong. They were shocked to discover that Debbie had had a baby as no one knew she was pregnant. Lisa felt she’d let Debbie down and was determined to give her all the support she needed to bring up baby Sarah. Unfortunately, Debbie couldn’t cope with being a mum. She did everything she could to avoid looking after her daughter which infuriated Lisa, causing many rows and this left the Dingle matriarch at the end of her tether. So when Debbie gave baby Sarah to Emily Kirk
, who then disappeared, Lisa hit the roof. Unable to bear the sight of Debbie, she wasn't sorry to see her leave.
Meanwhile, more tragedy was to hit the family when Zak’s son, Sam, announced his girlfriend Alice Wilson
was pregnant – only for that news to be followed by the revelation that Alice had cancer. Lisa proved to be the backbone of the family as everyone tried to prepare Sam for Alice’s death and looking after their baby son, Samson, alone.
The morning of the competition in Emmerdale's 5000th episode, Lisa accidentally knocked out Val carrying a big bag of linens. Lisa and Val had been feuding and Lisa worried Val might have it out for her. Eli Dingle tied and gagged Val whilst Lisa was gone, intending to ransom her.
Val was fuming at the Dingles until Lisa accidentally let it slip that Eric was planning the wedding for that day. There were a few hiccups but Val and Eric did get married and have lived happily together since.
Lisa was relieved when Belle's time at private school came to an end. She went there initially because Rosemary King
realised how intelligent Belle was and offered to pay the fees. Anything else - from the uniform to school trips - were to be funded by the Dingles. Unfortunately when Rosemary left the village, she stopped paying the fees and it was a struggle for Zak and Lisa to pay them. They borrowed a lot of money from Debbie, leading her to get into trouble with Carl, who she borrowed the money from.
After Zak quit his job at Home Farm, following a row over breakages Matthew insisted Zak pay for, Belle's friends found out that Zak hadn't paid the fees and teased her about it. So, recognising the problem, Zak and Lisa removed her from that school and she has returned to the local primary school.
Lisa has also managed to create a bond between Debbie and her daughter, Sarah. Andy agreed to let the Dingles see Sarah regularly and by getting Debbie to visit at the same time as Sarah and play with her, a mother-daughter bond is starting to develop. Sarah thinks Jo is her mum but enjoys spending time with Debbie.
Lisa has also met Olena Petrovich and has learnt to love her.She is also sensing that Sam is growing to love Olena.
Towards Christmas 2009, Lisa started nude modelling as the Dingles needed the extra cash for Christmas in order to buy Belle a laptop and put other presents under the tree. When Lisa told Zak how tight fisted she thought Nikhil is, Zak grew suspicious as Lisa had said the money for Belle's laptop came from a works bonus. Lisa was forced to tell Zak the truth. He initially wasn't happy she kept it from him, but he came round. When Eli and Shadrach found out, they kept making wisecracks so Lisa decided to stop due to the lack of support from people round her, after admitting to Zak that she felt good about herself.
In 2010, Lisa was arrested for punching a policeman annd was sentenced to three months in jail.
In 2010, a man named Derek Benrose began working at the Sharma Sweet Factory in Emmerdale, alongside Lisa. They began a close friendship, and Zak got on with Derek too. He seemed a friendly enough guy, and most people liked him. On Thursday 6th January 2011, Derek took a dark turn, and when he and Lisa were alone in the factory, he raped her.
Lisa faced further heartache, in March when the police said they didn't have enough evidence to pursue the crime.
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
played by Jane Cox
Jane Cox
Jane Cox is an English actress well known for her part in ITV's Emmerdale as farmer's wife Lisa Dingle.She lives in the former mill town of Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire and trained at Rose Bruford College....
.
Casting
Lisa Clegg was first introduced by producer Mervyn Watson in 1996 who cast Jane CoxJane Cox
Jane Cox is an English actress well known for her part in ITV's Emmerdale as farmer's wife Lisa Dingle.She lives in the former mill town of Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire and trained at Rose Bruford College....
for the role. Lisa first appeared in August 1996, as a potential love interest for Zak Dingle
Zak Dingle
Zachariah Bartholomew "Zak" Dingle is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Steve Halliwell. He first appeared on 20 October 1994 and has remained since except for a brief break from 2002-2003. On his time in the show he has been involved in a testicular cancer...
(Steve Halliwell
Steve Halliwell
Steve Halliwell isan English actor best known for his part in ITV's Emmerdale as smallholder Zak Dingle, a role he has played since 1994....
) after his wife Nellie Dingle (Sandra Gough
Sandra Gough
Sandra Gough is an English actress, best known for her role as Irma Ogden in the soap opera Coronation Street, which she played from 1964 to 1972....
) left to care for her father in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Jane Cox really enjoyed the chance to play Lisa Clegg. In an interview shortly after landing the role of Lisa, Cox stated [...] 'I was told that Lisa was a big lady and most comfortable in wellington boots [...] . Jane Cox had originally auditioned for the role of Nellie Dingle. However Mervyn Watson gave the role to Sandra Gough, Cox was pleased she got the part of Lisa Clegg instead because she really enjoyed the character. [...] She's very practical and down to earth. I like the fact that she spends most of the time in a boiler suit but can be sassy.[...]
1996–
When Lisa Clegg met Zak DingleZak Dingle
Zachariah Bartholomew "Zak" Dingle is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Steve Halliwell. He first appeared on 20 October 1994 and has remained since except for a brief break from 2002-2003. On his time in the show he has been involved in a testicular cancer...
, she was instantly smitten. While other women may have been turned off by Zak’s dodgy dealing and oddball family, Lisa didn’t care about any of it. However, the path of true love didn’t run smoothly for the couple - especially when Lisa’s ex-husband, Barry, turned up and tried to blow up the Dingle homestead.
Despite their problems, Zak and Lisa married on January 28, 1998. Family troubles kept them busy during that year, but Zak and Lisa were about to get a Christmas present they’d never forget.
On Christmas Day 1998, Lisa went into the barn to check on the animals and delivered a baby she had no idea she was expecting!
The arrival of baby Belle
Belle Dingle
Belle Lisa Dingle is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. She was originally played by Emily Mather from 1998 until 2005, but is now played by Eden Taylor-Draper.-1998-2005:...
served to deepen Zak and Lisa’s marriage, even surviving the nightmare that was Zak’s ex-wife Nellie’s stay in the village.
Lisa was deeply saddened when Zak’s son Butch was killed in a bus crash in the village. She even moved out when it was clear Zak blamed her as she’d fixed the brakes on the vehicle before it crashed. After a few months, Zak realised he couldn’t live without Lisa and begged her to move back in.
In 2001, tragedy hit again when Zak was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Zak overcame the disease with Lisa's love and support and repaid his wife by inviting his mother Peg to move in. With Peg around, tensions in the Dingle household reached fever pitch. When she went, everyone was relieved.
The family was split again when Zak went off to South America in 2002 in search of the Dingle treasure - without Lisa’s blessing. With her husband away, Lisa felt vulnerable - especially with Zak’s sleazy brother, Shadrach, coming on to her all the time. In the end, Lisa resorted to violent tactics to make Shadrach back off and was relieved he got the message.
Although she enjoyed a few dates with Bob Hope
Bob Hope (Emmerdale)
Robert Reginald "Bob" Hope is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He is played by Tony Audenshaw.-Character's background:...
’s brother Eddie, it was clear that Zak was still the man for Lisa - a fact confirmed by his return and their subsequent reunion.
If Lisa and Zak thought life would be simpler now they were older, they were wrong. They were shocked to discover that Debbie had had a baby as no one knew she was pregnant. Lisa felt she’d let Debbie down and was determined to give her all the support she needed to bring up baby Sarah. Unfortunately, Debbie couldn’t cope with being a mum. She did everything she could to avoid looking after her daughter which infuriated Lisa, causing many rows and this left the Dingle matriarch at the end of her tether. So when Debbie gave baby Sarah to Emily Kirk
Emily Kirk
Emily Kirk was a fictional character in ITV Soap opera Emmerdale. She was played by Kate McGregor....
, who then disappeared, Lisa hit the roof. Unable to bear the sight of Debbie, she wasn't sorry to see her leave.
Meanwhile, more tragedy was to hit the family when Zak’s son, Sam, announced his girlfriend Alice Wilson
Alice Wilson
Alice Evelyn Wilson, M.B.E., F.R.S.C. was a Canadian geologist and paleontologist. She conducted field studies on rocks and fossils in the Ottawa region between 1913 and 1963....
was pregnant – only for that news to be followed by the revelation that Alice had cancer. Lisa proved to be the backbone of the family as everyone tried to prepare Sam for Alice’s death and looking after their baby son, Samson, alone.
The morning of the competition in Emmerdale's 5000th episode, Lisa accidentally knocked out Val carrying a big bag of linens. Lisa and Val had been feuding and Lisa worried Val might have it out for her. Eli Dingle tied and gagged Val whilst Lisa was gone, intending to ransom her.
Val was fuming at the Dingles until Lisa accidentally let it slip that Eric was planning the wedding for that day. There were a few hiccups but Val and Eric did get married and have lived happily together since.
Lisa was relieved when Belle's time at private school came to an end. She went there initially because Rosemary King
Rosemary King
Rosemary Venitia King is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. She was played by Linda Thorson. She made her last appearance on the show on 13 September 2007-Character's background:...
realised how intelligent Belle was and offered to pay the fees. Anything else - from the uniform to school trips - were to be funded by the Dingles. Unfortunately when Rosemary left the village, she stopped paying the fees and it was a struggle for Zak and Lisa to pay them. They borrowed a lot of money from Debbie, leading her to get into trouble with Carl, who she borrowed the money from.
After Zak quit his job at Home Farm, following a row over breakages Matthew insisted Zak pay for, Belle's friends found out that Zak hadn't paid the fees and teased her about it. So, recognising the problem, Zak and Lisa removed her from that school and she has returned to the local primary school.
Lisa has also managed to create a bond between Debbie and her daughter, Sarah. Andy agreed to let the Dingles see Sarah regularly and by getting Debbie to visit at the same time as Sarah and play with her, a mother-daughter bond is starting to develop. Sarah thinks Jo is her mum but enjoys spending time with Debbie.
Lisa has also met Olena Petrovich and has learnt to love her.She is also sensing that Sam is growing to love Olena.
Towards Christmas 2009, Lisa started nude modelling as the Dingles needed the extra cash for Christmas in order to buy Belle a laptop and put other presents under the tree. When Lisa told Zak how tight fisted she thought Nikhil is, Zak grew suspicious as Lisa had said the money for Belle's laptop came from a works bonus. Lisa was forced to tell Zak the truth. He initially wasn't happy she kept it from him, but he came round. When Eli and Shadrach found out, they kept making wisecracks so Lisa decided to stop due to the lack of support from people round her, after admitting to Zak that she felt good about herself.
In 2010, Lisa was arrested for punching a policeman annd was sentenced to three months in jail.
In 2010, a man named Derek Benrose began working at the Sharma Sweet Factory in Emmerdale, alongside Lisa. They began a close friendship, and Zak got on with Derek too. He seemed a friendly enough guy, and most people liked him. On Thursday 6th January 2011, Derek took a dark turn, and when he and Lisa were alone in the factory, he raped her.
Lisa faced further heartache, in March when the police said they didn't have enough evidence to pursue the crime.
Reception
Cox was nominated in the category of "Best Actress" at the 2011 British Soap AwardsBritish Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
.
External links
- Lisa Dingle at itv.comItv.comitv.com is the main website of ITV plc, the UK's largest commercial television broadcaster which operates 11 out of 15 regions on the ITV network under the ITV1 brand. The website offers on-line streaming, ITV archive, news, sport, entertainment, games, soaps, lifestyle, drama and an interactive TV...