Abused in the street because she WALKED on EastEnders!

Lisa, who plays market stall holder Donna Yates in EastEnders has revealed that she actually gets abused in the street because her character walked on EastEnders. Lisa has a restricted growth condition which leaves her in a lot of pain if standing for too long. 

Speaking to the Daily Star Sunday's Susan Hill, the 37-year-old said: 'The main image of wheelchair users is that of paralysis. So when I get out of my chair to do a scene on my feet - and that all depends on how I’m feeling - people don’t like it.'

Lisa said she will happily walk in a scene if she can and added: 'But if I can’t or pain levels are bad then I’ll use my chair. I’ve been shouted at. I’ve had people say, "Oi, why are you in a chair when you were walking on EastEnders last night?"'.

4 feet 1 inches Lisa has pseudoachondroplasia and joint hypermobility, and usually laughs the comments off. 

 

She said: 'I'm really excited to join EastEnders. Donna is a bit of a handful but they are always the most fun characters - it feels good to be bad.'

Donna wasn't originally written as a wheelchair-bound character, but Lisa won over producers with her audition, and show boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins said he was delighted to have her on board as the 'flinty, aggressive and difficult' stall holder.

At the time of casting her, he said: 'Donna's not an easy character to like at first. As we get to know her better, we will discover a funny, loyal but also fragile woman underneath.

'Lisa is a brilliantly comic and sharp actress. We have been trying to get her into the EastEnders cast for a long time so I am delighted.' 

EastEnders Monday 12th October 8pm BBC One