Born in Burnley, Lancashire, Lisa trained at Oldham Theatre Workshop from the age of nine and was signed up by a Manchester agent three years later. One of her first roles, at Oldham Coliseum, was as the Guide teacher in Worzel Gummidge. 'At 15,' she says, 'I was looking too old for a 15-year-old and ended up taking a job as a receptionist in a foam factory.'
But she was soon acting again and had a small part in Coronation Street as Nina, who was employed at Bettabuys supermarket when Vera Duckworth was caught shoplifting there. Lisa also played a witch in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates and Daniella in the film Butterfly Kiss, starring Amanda Plummer. 'That was a really good experience,' she says. 'I learned so much from Amanda.' Another favourite actress of Lisa's is Bette Midler.