Tina O’Brien has cemented her place in Coronation Street history since joining the show in 1999…
She made her Coronation Street debut more than two decades ago as the third actress to play Sarah Platt, and Tina O'Brien hasn't looked back since.
The actress has been at the centre of some of Coronation Street's most hard-hitting storylines, including Sarah's teenage pregnancy back in 2000, and more recently the grooming of her daughter, Bethany Platt, who was played by Lucy Fallon .
But while we have watched Tina on screen for the last two decades there are still a few things we didn’t know about her…
Most fans of the actress will know that:
- She joined Coronation Street straight from leaving school
- She took part in the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour in 2011
- She's a proud mum to two children, Scarlett and Beau
But what else do we know about Tina? Here are several things you probably don't know...
Tina O'Brien: little known facts about the Coronation Street actress...
1. Tina O'Brien has got a hidden talent
You might think that Tina’s talent in life is acting, but she’s admitted that she’s actually really good at juggling! Now, we’re not talking seven balls at a time whilst dressed up as a clown, but she can apparently easily juggle three or four balls after teaching herself the skill one Christmas as a child after being given a set of juggling balls.
2. Strictly Come Dancing made her sick
It’s easy to think that being a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing is all glitz and glamour, but not in Tina’s experience. The actress took part in the dancing show back in 2010 and told The Express: "Being on live telly, knowing there were millions of people watching, was incredibly frightening. From the Friday morning through to the live show on Saturday evening I was constantly running to the loo to be sick, I was that scared!"
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3. Tina O'Brien is a tea addict
Just like the rest of the Great British public, Tina loves nothing more than settling down with a cuppa. In fact she revealed on her Instagram page recently that she has known best friend Esther since they met at school, and that their favourite thing to do is have a natter over a cuppa.
4. She’s watched every episode of Friends hundreds of time
Once again proving that she’s just like the rest of us, Tina’s favourite way to relax is in front of the TV with a glass of wine. Throw an episode of Friends into the mix and you’ll have Tina’s perfect evening in. She once revealed that if she could only watch one TV show for the rest of her life it would definitely be Friends.
5. She’s got a very odd shopping habit
While you might think most soap stars spend their hard-earned cash on designer handbags, it might surprise you to know that Tina likes to spend her money on something a little different. She once told The Express: "I can’t walk past a pound shop without going in. I’m such a sucker for them. There’s always something in there that I think I need, like nine jumbo rolls of kitchen towels!"
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6. She believes that leaving Coronation Street was one of the best decisions she’s made
While most of us couldn’t ever imagine leaving a show like Coronation Street once getting your foot in the door, Tina believes that taking a break from playing alter ego Sarah Platt between 1999 and 2007 was the best thing she ever did.
After returning to the soap three years ago, she told The Sunday Post: "If I hadn’t decided to leave when I did, I don’t think I’d have appreciated everything since. I came to Coronation Street right from high school and hadn’t done anything else until I was 24, so I didn’t feel like I had a life outside of the show. I needed to see the world and try different jobs, and now I’ve had those experiences I don’t have itchy feet."
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7. She’s obsessed with candles
As well as jumbo kitchen rolls, Tina’s house is full of candles! The actress once admitted that if she ever sees a nice candle, she just has to have it - apparently you can never have too many. She does put them to good use though, because one of her favourite ways to wind down is with a candle-lit bath with soothing music.
Tina O'Brien's Fact File
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the actress....
How old is she?
Tina O'Brien's age is 36. Her date of birth is 7th August 1983.
Is she in a relationship?
Tina O'Brien married her husband Adam Crofts in 2018.
Does she have kids?
Tina O'Brien has two children. She shares daughter Scarlett, who was born in 2008, with Ryan Thomas, and in 2014 Tina and husband Adam welcomed their son Beau into the world.
Where was she born?
Tina O'Brien was born in Rusholme in Manchester.
How tall is she?
Tina O'Brien's height is 1.55 metres tall.
Instagram: @tinaob83
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV.
We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.
Main picture: PA by Keith Mayhew / SOPA Images/Sipa USA
