Samantha Power has been stirring up trouble in Emmerdale as her character, Tina Dingle, returns to expose the truth to the Dingles. Tina has been causing tension, particularly for Lisa Dingle, as she wants everyone to know that Vinny is her biological son.
While Samantha may have made a big impact at Zak Dingle’s funeral, she’s not the first actress to portray Tina. The character was introduced in 1994, shortly after her father, Zak, made his debut. Initially played by Jacqueline Pirie, Tina stayed on the show until 1996 when she left the village after turning down a proposal from Frank Tate. She moved to London, and little was heard of her until now.
Although the actress now playing Tina might sound like she’s from the Yorkshire Dales, Samantha is actually from Dungarvan in County Waterford. She has appeared in several popular TV shows, including the Sky comedy Brassic, where she portrayed Donna, the sister of Davey and Barry. Her credits also include Doctors on BBC, Cold Call on Channel 5, Coronation Street, Holby City, and Little Britain.
Outside of acting, Samantha is happily married to Nathan Walker, and the couple often shares pictures of their travels on social media. Over the past year, they’ve enjoyed holidays in Italy, Barbados, Brazil, Spain, and Malta.
Reflecting on stepping into Tina’s shoes, Samantha shared, “I was so nervous. It’s an iconic role, and I wanted to do it justice.” She added, “My husband said he had never seen me this nervous! My first scene on my first day was at the graveside with ALL the Dingles. That’s a lot!”
She also praised her co-stars, especially Lisa Riley, saying, “Everyone was so welcoming, but I have to give a special shout-out to Lisa Riley. She is the nicest person! When I met her at the screen test, I felt so safe. She was incredibly supportive and encouraging, and that continued every day on set. I loved working with her!”
Although Tina’s stay on the show will be brief, Samantha expressed a desire to return, saying, “Tina is such a fun character to play, so I’d love the chance to come back and cause more chaos.”
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