Coronation Street star Alan Halsall has opened up about his character Tyrone Dobbs’ discovery that new lover Alina Pop is pregnant, and said that the mechanic has found himself stuck with a life that he hadn’t bargained for.
Back in April, Tyrone walked out on long-term partner Fiz Stape after nine years and moved in with Alina at the salon flat.
The romance initially provided Tyrone with the kind of excitement that had been sorely missing from his and Fiz’s relationship — he enjoyed nights out and steamy passion, and even became the proud new owner of a motorbike, thanks to Alina splashing out.
But last month, he was left shellshocked when Alina dropped the bombshell that she was carrying their baby.
Says Alan: “Tyrone certainly didn’t see it coming, and it did come as a huge shock. He saw Alina as an exciting new life and a way out of the rut he was in, but now he wonders if he’s swapped one life for the same life.
“He’s trying to play the supportive partner and he is happy now he’s getting used to the idea, but it certainly isn’t what he envisaged.
“He’s a good dad, and I’m sure he’s going to be thrilled, starting a family with Alina, but also he knows what it takes, and maybe that’s part of the reason that he’s thinking ‘Wow, it’s not this exciting new motorbike-riding lifestyle that I’m going to be living, afterall.’”
Next week on Coronation Street, Tyrone — who already has an eight-year-old daughter, Ruby from his relationship with now late ex-partner Kirsty Soames, and is stepdad to Fiz’s ten-year-old daughter, Hope — will not only be adjusting to the fact he’s going to be a dad again but will also be thrown to discover Fiz has a new man.
Calling into Speed Daal, he’s stunned to see his former partner glammed up and having a whale of a time with Phill, a man she met at the furniture shop.
When he later learns Fiz and Phill have a second date at The Bistro, Tyrone takes Alina there for dinner and spends the evening spying on the couple.
He makes nasty comments at the duo’s expense, and when his bank card is declined and Phill pays his bill for him, an embarrassed Tyrone makes a drunken swing at him.
“The green-eyed monster is there, and he makes a drunken fool of himself,” says Alan.
“Fiz is moving on, and it’s a real eye-opener for him.
“He thinks she’s just sat at home, crying, and when he realises she’s not, he gets very jealous and a bit bitter about it.”
