Original Tina Dingle star Jacqueline Pirie now lives a very different life on the other side of the world

Tina Dingle is back in Emmerdale after decades away, but the role has been recast. Tina is now played by Ackley Bridge and Brassic star Samantha Power.

Tina’s not been seen in the village since Christmas Day in 1996, when she left for the bright lights of London! Back then she was played by Jacqueline Pirie, who went on to star in Coronation Street as Linda Sykes.

Jacqueline waved goodbye to her soap career in 2001, and she’s now enjoying a whole new life on the other side of the world.

Here’s the lowdown on her life before and after Emmerdale.

Jacqueline Pirie’s early life

Jacqueline was born in Stirling in Scotland and moved to Birmingham with her family when she was five.

She had a few roles on television, until in 1994, when she was just 19, she landed the role of Tina Dingle in Emmerdale.

Who was Tina Dingle in Emmerdale?

Tina was the daughter of Zak and Nellie Dingle, making her the sister of Sam Dingle, and the late Ben and Butch Dingle. She’s also Cain and Belle’s half-sister, though as far as we know she’s never met Belle – and she’s hardly ever mentioned on screen.

She was best friends with her cousin, Mandy Dingle, whose first appearance in Emmerdale was at Tina’s doomed wedding to Luke McAllister.

Tina and Luke McAllister

Speaking of which!

Tina’s family were horrified when she seemed to hit it off with Luke McAllister, because they believed he was the man responsible for her brother Ben’s death in a fight.

Ben had a heart condition that killed him when Luke and he fought, but the Dingles always blamed Luke.

Much to the disgust of the Dingles, Tina grew close to Luke and the pair started a relationship.

Wedding disaster

Tina announced she was pregnant and with the news of a baby, the family began to come round –  Nellie was especially excited that her daughter was going to be married to a doctor.

But when Tina and Luke got to the altar on their wedding day, Tina announced the whole thing was a fake. She didn’t want to marry Luke, and there was no baby. It had all been a complicated revenge plan. Ouch!

Humiliated Luke decided to leave, but not before he took Tina on a terrifying drive round the village in Dave Glover’s van. Tina managed to throw herself from the moving van just before Luke crashed, and died.

Businesswoman Tina

Stricken with guilt after Luke’s death, Tina reinvented herself as a businesswoman, working for Frank Tate and starting a romance with Steve Marchant.

But Frank began to have feelings for Tina and proposed. She turned him down, but Frank wouldn’t take no for an answer and harassed her. Fed up with the unwanted attention, Tina left Emmerdale to live in London.

Who was Linda Sykes in Coronation Street?

In 1998, Jacqueline joined Coronation Street as machinist Linda Sykes.

She became one of Corrie’s most iconic characters, thanks to her romance and later marriage to factory boss and much older man, Mike Baldwin.

But Linda also fell for Mike’s son, Mark Redman, and they started an affair. As the wedding day approached, Linda chose Mike and ended things with Mark. But her lovestruck ex refused to give up. On the big day, he proposed to Linda as Mike waited in the church – and Linda said no.

After the ceremony, Mark revealed the truth to his shocked dad. But to his dismay, Mike threw Mark out and decided to make a go of it with Linda.

What happened next?

Mike and Linda’s marriage wasn’t great – no surprise there! Mike was looking after his ex-wife Alma, who’d been diagnosed with cancer, and Linda had another affair.

When Linda rowed with Alma shortly before her death, Mike said he’d never forgive her and asked for a divorce.

Linda didn’t want to go, though, until Mike set her up by arranging for Mark to come back to the Street and then walking in on the cheating pair.

Jacqueline’s new life!

After Jacqueline left Corrie, her life changed completely. She married fellow actor Simon Chadwick and settled down.

After deciding she didn’t enjoy the fame that came with life as a soap star she turned her hand to other ventures.

She began teaching, opening a drama school in her hometown of Stirling.

Then the couple and their family relocated to Canada, where she set up another branch of her acting school – the Jacqueline Chadwick Academy.

And she also proved she had more than one string to her bow when she wrote a series of crime novels. In The Still, Briefly Maiden and Silent Sisters feature criminal psychologist Ali Dalglish.

The mum of two recently turned 50 and according to her Twitter bio lists herself as ‘joyfully single’. She also states she is a woodworker and links to a craft website called Elizabeth Adam. The website states every item is handmade by her and the collection includes chairs, stools, chopping boards and risers.

Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.

Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.

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