From finding fame as a child star, appearing on comedy sketch shows and having successful West End stage runs, to a stint in Hollywood, a seven-year role on The Bill and chewing the fat with Loose Women, she could seemingly turn her hand to anything.
But when she was offered the chance to play Judy Garland, one of her heroes, Lisa turned it down.
It was only after much persuasion that the 52-year-old agreed to the part in End of the Rainbow, a stage show coming to Glasgow that focuses on a pivotal moment in The Wizard Of Oz star’s troubled life.
“When I was first offered it I said no. I thought it was a wind-up, actually,” she said.
“I hadn’t sung on stage in 16 years and sustaining the voice and singing every night, especially as Judy, is very difficult. I didn’t think I was capable.
“But the producers and my agents egged me on and asked me to sit at the piano with a vocal coach to see how it went.
“I felt quite confident after that, so I agreed. That was seven months before the tour, and from then I saw the vocal coach every week and did daily vocal exercises.
“It was good that I was a fan, because I knew I had a lot to live up to and couldn’t take it on lightly.
“I wanted to make Judy proud and make sure the audience got an insight into the whole woman as well as be nostalgic.”
Although many of Judy’s memorable songs, such as Come Rain Or Come Shine and Somewhere Over The Rainbow, are performed, Lisa is quick to point out the show – also featuring Gary Wilmot and Sam Attwater – is a play rather than a musical.
“It’s set in the year before she died and she’s with husband-to-be number five, has control of her addictions, and everything seems to be on the up, but things start to unravel.
“It sounds dark and sad and at times it’s moving, but it’s also very funny.”
Lisa spent five years on the panel of ITV daytime show, Loose Women, but quit in 2014 in order to challenge herself again.
“I became lazy,” she admitted.
“It’s not a career and I needed to do something to remind people I’m an actor. I felt taking on this role would lay a few ghosts to rest and I think it’s surprised a lot of people.”
Like Judy, Lisa was a child actor but avoided the pitfalls that often snare young stars.
“It’s difficult for children to grow up in the spotlight but I had a good family there for me,” she said.
“There were people in my class who didn’t avoid the pitfalls, like Lena Zavaroni. That wasn’t down to drink or drugs, but it was a cry for help.
“It’s easy to equate love with successful performances – you think that’s what you needed to do for love.
“I don’t think Judy knew what love really was and a lot of child performers are the same but it didn’t affect me like that.
“But I did feel validated by getting jobs, which isn’t right.
“It’s funny that the people who can mean most to a performer can be strangers.”
She continued: “Judy’s story is still relevant today – it’s not much different to Amy Winehouse’s.
“People are on the payroll because of a person’s success and so will make sure the person keeps going, no matter what.
“We didn’t know much about the stars back then, unlike today when we know about someone even if we don’t want to, but Judy was always very open.
“She gave so much of herself away to people and the studio did very little to protect her.”
For Lisa, her end of the rainbow is in the picturesque Cotswolds, moving from the rat race of London with her family several years ago.
She lives in Edge with her husband Paul, who she’s been with since 1997, and their teenage daughter, Beau, and says life is so much better for it.
“I’ve been able to commute some of this tour from home, which is great because my daughter is going through GCSE hell right now.
“I’m a Londoner, born and bred, but moving to the Cotswolds is the best thing I’ve ever done.”
End Of The Rainbow, King’s Theatre, Glasgow, April 26-30.
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