Lisa Riley has called for more realistic portrayals of different body types on screen, particularly in medical dramas.

The actress and ‘Loose Women’ presenter has said there’s still a need for greater representation when it comes to plus-size actors, telling Radio Times: “The TV industry is changing and people are more accepting of different body shapes on screen these days.

“But I’d still love to see an overweight nurse or midwife on telly.”

She added: “Trust me, when I spent time in hospital there was not a single size 6 nurse – and that is not what’s being portrayed in medical dramas.”

Lisa is about to star in the BBC family drama ‘Age Before Beauty’, alongside Sue Johnston, Robson Green and James Murray.

Last year, Lisa went under the knife to remove excess skin left over following her 11-stone weight loss, which she said at the time affected her self-esteem.

Speaking in the documentary ‘Lisa Riley’s Baggy Body Club’, she said: “I never for one second imagined that I would end up looking like that. It never occurred to me that the loose skin would be so bad.

“I thought why on earth have I lost all this weight? I looked worse than I did when I was obese. And it was the pain as well. The skin was flapping about and dragging.

She was previously forced to address claims she’d undergone gastric band surgery to aid her weight loss telling the Daily Mail: “If one more person asks me about a gastric band then I swear I will be tempted to cut myself open and show people there’s nothing there.”