Tina McIntyre is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street. Portrayed by Michelle Keegan, the character first appeared on-screen during the episode that was shown 7 January 2008. The character was central to many key storylines relating to issues such as perjury, abortion and surrogacy, and had relationships with David Platt (Jack P. Shepherd), Graeme Proctor (Craig Gazey), Tommy Duckworth (Chris Fountain), Matt Carter (Oliver Mellor) and Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas), and had an affair with married man Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne). Tina has also had feuds with Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford), Kylie Platt (Paula Lane) and Kirsty Soames (Natalie Gumede).
In 2010, The Guardian listed Tina as one of the 10 best Coronation Street characters of all time. In April 2013, it was announced that Keegan would be leaving the show and in October, it was announced that her character would be murdered. Tina was pushed from the balcony and beaten with a lead pipe by Rob Donovan (Marc Baylis), before dying of her injuries on 2 June 2014. Tina's funeral took place on 23 June 2014, in which she made her final appearance in video footage.
Creation Casting Tina McIntyre was cast in the soap to portray a short-term girlfriend of character David Platt (Jack P. Shepherd), to help change his evil ways. As the character's personality was portrayed on screen, soap bosses and viewers were impressed with the character and actress Michelle Keegan which resulted in her character becoming a permanent fixture. She has worked in low-skilled jobs such as the Kabin and as a barmaid. Her main links in Coronation Street were initially with the Platt family. Auditions were held for the part of the character and Keegan received a call from her agent telling her she had been offered the part, the initial audition being only her second for any part. She was called to a meeting with producer Steve November, he was immediately happy with her and handed her the scripts.
In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Keegan spoke about her character's success in the show stating that: "Tina came in to the show just to change David into a nice character, and then to get to the point where he pushed his mum down the stairs. I was supposed to be out of there after that. But they’ve kept me on. They needed a bit of a ballsy character, I think. She’s moved into the Platts’ now and she’s getting a family base around her, so hopefully she’s around for the long haul. I didn’t think I was staying, so I’m very lucky".
Characterisation Describing Tina's personality after her arrival on screen, the official ITV website states: "Tina has never felt like she’s fitted in anywhere, but she’s not a pushover by any means. She thinks she knows everything, but doesn’t and would rather be friends with lads than girls, who usually hate her. Challenge her to an arm wrestle and she’ll probably win." Also stating that she is feisty and fell into a common job rather than not being smart enough to do anything else, with Michelle saying during an interview: "She’s feisty but she’s essentially a good girl at the moment" and in another on the ITV official website saying: "She can be very feisty but she's just a normal, vulnerable, 17-year-old girl and she's very confused.".
On the teenage abortion storyline actress, Keegan (who knew about the storyline before taking the part) said: "It was such an emotional storyline to be involved in I was scared and wondered if I'd really be able to pull it off. But it's been a real challenge and good to get my teeth into something.".
Development
Departure and death On 20 April 2013, Keegan confirmed that she had quit Coronation Street. The actress stated "I have had the most amazing six years at Coronation Street and it was such a difficult decision to leave. But I felt it was the right time for me to make the next step in my career. I will miss Tina and will always be grateful to ITV and Coronation Street for giving me such an amazing role to play for my first ever acting job." Keegan added that she was excited to see what the coming months would hold for Tina, while series producer Stuart Blackburn commented that plans were being made for her "powerful and gripping" exit storyline. Keegan was planning to leave when her contract expired in November, but was persuaded to stay until May 2014.
Storylines Tina is first seen trying to book an appointment at the Medical Centre because she has tennis elbow. She bickers with Gail Platt (Helen Worth), the receptionist.
Tina starts dating Gail's son, David Platt (Jack P. Shepherd), and shortly afterwards learns that she is pregnant. Unable to tell her own parents, she confides in Gail, who is pleased to hear that she wants an abortion. Gail pays for Tina to go to a private clinic, worried that David is too unstable to be a father. When David finds out, he ends the relationship and is furious with Gail for interfering. Their argument results in Gail falling down the stairs after she tries to stop him leaving. Shocked, David visits Tina and they reconcile. Tina gives David an alibi but Gail's memory returns and she knows David was responsible but refuses to press charges. Feeling guilty and wanting to be punished, David goes on a violent rampage, smashing windows in the street and attacking Ken Barlow (William Roache). He is subsequently imprisoned. The couple reconcile when David is released and things become complicated when Gail starts dating Tina's father, Joe (Reece Dinsdale), who gives David a job.
Later in the year, David and Joe start a feud with the Windass family, who owe Joe money. In January 2009, David has a fight with Gary Windass (Mikey North) and is badly beaten. David persuades Tina to tell the police that Gary started the fight but she cannot commit perjury and tells the truth. Gary is acquitted and Tina and David split up as she is no longer able to cope with his erratic behaviour. Tina gets a job at The Kabin newsagents and develops a strong friendship with her boss Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox).
In 2009, Tina starts dating Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas) and they buy the flat above The Kabin, renovating it together, assisted by Joe. In February 2010, Gail, now married to Joe, returns from a short break in the Lake District alone, claiming that Joe got a job refitting a yacht there. Tina is worried about her father as she has not heard from him and Joe goes missing, having planned to fake his own death in a boating accident in order to use his life insurance to pay off a loan shark. Joe is later found dead and Tina is devastated, identifying her father's body. The police wrongly suspect that Gail murdered Joe and Tina starts to believes this, banning Gail from Joe's funeral. On learning that Gail is planning to go abroad, Tina tells the police and Gail is arrested and charged with murder. Tina sinks into a deep depression and ends her relationship with Jason after he proposes. David's friend, Graeme Proctor (Craig Gazey), tries to help her and when he learns Tina has stopped eating, he moves in to look after her. Gail is acquitted and eventually convinces Tina that she is innocent. Tina ends her relationship with Jason and starts dating Graeme. Jason evicts them from the flat and they initially stay with Rita, before moving into the flat above the corner shop. In September, Tina leaves her job at The Kabin after Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) accuses her and Graeme of credit card fraud; she gets a job as a barmaid at the Rovers Return Inn pub in December. On her first night, a gas explosion at The Joinery bar causes a tram to derail and crash on to the Street. Tina helps with the rescue effort as residents seek shelter at The Rovers.
In February 2011, during a Valentine's Day meal with Graeme, Tina discovers the waitress is an old friend, Xin Chiang (Elizabeth Tan), and sees that she is upset. Xin explains that she is struggling financially so Tina suggests that Xin move in with her and Graeme. In March, Tina and Graeme's flat, destroyed in the tram crash, is repaired and ready for them to move back into but Xin is being threatened with deportation so Tina suggests that she and Graeme get married so Xin can stay. Tina and Graeme stage a break-up and Tina moves out. Despite an investigation by the UK Border Agency, Xin gets her visa but, after twisting her ankle when she falls from a ladder, has to stay. Graeme takes the marriage seriously and subsequently falls in love with Xin. Tina is devastated when she finds out and when David's partner Kylie Turner (Paula Lane), tells Tina that she should have expected it, Tina attacks her. Tina threatens to report Graeme and Xin to the authorities but Gail persuades her not to. Before they leave, Tina tells Graeme that she could never hate him and they part on good terms.
Tommy Duckworth (Chris Fountain) later pursues Tina after she moves in with him and Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) after Dev evicts her. Tommy accepts Tina's offer of dinner, despite having arranged a date with Amber Kalirai (Nikki Patel). Tommy leaves Amber to be with Tina, claiming that Tyrone is in hospital, but Amber learns the truth and confronts him. Tina is furious and dates Dr Matt Carter (Oliver Mellor). Tina soon realizes that Matt is embarrassed that she is a barmaid after he gets her an interview at Nick's bistro; Tina throws a pint over Matt and dumps him. In March 2012, Tina tells her colleague Sean Tully (Antony Cotton) that she has feelings for Tommy, and Sean tells her that Tommy reciprocates, but Tina has doubts. They go out for the evening, but Tommy finds a list of "pros and cons" she wrote while deciding whether to go out with him and is upset to see that she describes him as immature. After an argument, they make up and move into Jason's flat together. In April, Tommy is devastated to learn that his grandfather, Geoff Horton (Dicken Ashworth), has died. Tina supports him and encourages him to go to the funeral. Afterwards, they talk about Geoff and Tina tells Tommy about Joe's death. Tommy tells Tina that Geoff would have liked her and Tina responds by saying Joe would have approved of him. The next week, Tommy's father, Terry Duckworth (Nigel Pivaro), returns to the street. Despite Terry having sold him as a baby to his maternal grandparents, Tina encourages Tommy to get to know Terry but has second thoughts when Tommy starts working with him at his new lap dancing club. When she learns Terry is in debt to Rick Neelan (Greg Wood), the loan shark her father was also in debt to when he died, Tina is outraged; Tommy tells her that he and Terry plan to burn down the club for the insurance money but Tina convinces Tommy not to do it so Terry intends to do it. When Tina tries to stop him, a struggle breaks out and Tina is knocked unconscious. She is rushed to hospital and spends three days in a coma. On regaining consciousness, she tells Tommy that Terry caused her injuries. Tommy confronts Terry, who leaves with Tommy's money but Tommy does not tell Tina, lying that he had paid Rick. Tommy is then forced by Rick to pack drugs into cars at the garage to pay off Terry's debt; when Tina finds out, she tells Tommy to stop so Rick has Tommy beaten up in front of her. He demands Tommy drive a car packed with cocaine to Amsterdam but Tina takes the drugs and informs the police. In revenge, Rick kidnaps Rita and threatens to push her into the canal if Tina does not return the merchandise, so she does. However, as he tries to leave, he is arrested. Tina dumps Tommy but they soon reconcile.