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Tina Reilly
Tina Reilly
Tina Reilly
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Tina Reilly
Hollyoaks character
Portrayed byLeah Hackett
Duration2006–2008, 2026
First appearance3 August 2006
ClassificationFormer; regular (returning)
Introduced byBryan Kirkwood (2006, 2014)
Hannah Cheers (2026)
In-universe information
OccupationCareers advisor
FamilyMcQueen
FatherMarvin Bassman
MotherMyra McQueen
Half-brothersNiall Rafferty
John Paul McQueen
Half-sistersJacqui McQueen
Mercedes McQueen
Carmel McQueen
Michaela McQueen
Carmina McQueen
HusbandDominic Reilly (2007–2008)
SonsMax McQueen
GrandmothersNana McQueen
AuntsKathleen McQueen
Reenie McQueen
NephewsBobby Costello
Matthew McQueen
NiecesPhoebe McQueen (adoptive)
First cousinsTheresa McQueen
Porsche McQueen
Celine McQueen
Cleo McQueen
Other relativesBart McQueen
Goldie McQueen
Breda McQueen
Prince McQueen
Hunter McQueen

Tina Reilly (also McQueen) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Leah Hackett. Since making her first appearance in August 2006 as part of the McQueen family, Tina has been involved in storylines including sexual harassment and surrogacy. Tina was killed off in a church explosion on 17 October 2008, shortly after Hackett decided to leave the serial. On 19 January 2026 it was announced that Hackett would reprise her role as part of her John Paul McQueens exit storyline. Tina will return for a one-off special episode.

Character creation

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The character of Tina was introduced in August 2006 as one of the McQueen sisters. During 2008, it was announced that one of the McQueens would be killed off in a church explosion, caused by secret McQueen Niall Rafferty (Barry Sloane).[1] The exact details of which character would be killed were due to be kept secret until the episodes aired, however, Hackett revealed she had quit the soap early in 2008 days before her character was killed.

A spokesperson for Hollyoaks commented on the storyline, "Sadly, one of the girls decided they had had enough and told producers that they wanted out. So what better way than to be blown up in one of the most shocking plotlines of the autumn? Regardless of who it is, fans are going to be gutted, as the McQueen sisters are some of the most popular characters on the show. All that can be revealed at the moment is that there is plenty of blood and a huge explosion. And one of the McQueen clan is murdered."[1]

Storylines

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Backstory

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Tina was born to Myra McQueen (Nicole Barber-Lane) following a one-night stand with a bingo caller called Marvin. Myra fell in love with Marvin, but after telling him she was pregnant with Tina, he gave her money to abort the child. Myra, however, did not use the money for an abortion and told Marvin she was keeping the baby. After this, Myra never heard from him again. She then gave birth to Tina, who she named after Tina Turner. In order to make Tina believe her father cared for her, Myra sent her birthday cards from Marvin every year, until Tina discovered the truth.

2006–2008

[edit]

Tina meets Dominic Reilly (John Pickard). They soon discover that they both share interests in reading and a passive demeanour. Following many failed dates, Tina and Dom finally kiss and lose their virginity to each other. Tina's sisters Carmel (Gemma Merna) and Michaela McQueen (Hollie-Jay Bowes) overhear Dom calling Tina "Cathy", a character from her favourite play Wuthering Heights, and assume he is having an affair with Kathy Barnes (Sarah Jane Buckley). Michaela and Carmel decide to expose Dom's apparent affair, but end up finding Dom and Tina sleeping together. Dom proposes to Tina, and they begin to plan their wedding. However, Tina and Dom discover their planned wedding clashes with Tina's sister Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe) and fiancé Russ Owen (Stuart Manning), so Myra suggests they have a double wedding and Mercedes and Tina reluctantly agree. During their joint hen night, Tina and Mercedes, along with Carmel and Jacqui McQueen (Claire Cooper), find an unconscious Clare Cunningham (Gemma Bissix), after she is pushed from a balcony. On the wedding day, Louise Summers (Roxanne McKee) interrupts the ceremony claiming Mercedes slept with Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas) on the night Clare was pushed, Mercedes being his only alibi after his arrest for attempted murder. In order for the wedding not to be ruined, Tina tells Russ that Mercedes was with her all night. After marrying Dom, Tina tells Mercedes she will never forgive her for spoiling her wedding day. Due to lack of privacy at the McQueen house, Tina and Dom move in with Jacqui and her boyfriend, also Dom's brother, Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard).

Tina begins working as a careers advisor at Hollyoaks High school. Tina's boss Pete Webster (Richard Cambridge) begins to sexually harass Tina, later playing mind games when she rejects his advances. Tina tries to tell Dom about Pete's harassment but he does not listen and befriends Pete. After finishing work one night, Pete tries to rape Tina but Russ stops him. Dom later takes Pete's side when Tina tells him what happened so she and Russ have a one-night stand for comfort, and the next day, Tina tells Dom that their marriage is over.

Tina agrees to be a surrogate for Jacqui and Tony who cannot have children. Myra and Mercedes are not happy with the plan and try to convince her not to go through with being inseminated with Tony's sperm. However, Tina insists but Dom is also unhappy, but the pair reconcile and he agrees to stand by Tina, who is overjoyed to discover she is pregnant. However, she discovers at her 12-week scan that the foetus is 15 weeks and therefore must have been conceived when she slept with Russ. Tina confesses her affair to Jacqui, who is furious, but tells her to keep it a secret or both their relationships will be over. A heavily pregnant Tina confides in Niall Rafferty (Barry Sloane), telling him she is considering putting her child up for adoption, unaware Niall is her half-brother who Myra put up for adoption. Tina tells Jacqui her adoption plans during a phone-call. An angry Niall then pushes Tina down a flight of steps, and tells the McQueens he saw Jamie "Fletch" Fletcher (Sam Darbyshire) push her.[2] Tina is rushed to hospital and has a baby son that she names Max. Due to injuries sustained in her fall, Tina has an emergency hysterectomy, rendering her unable to have any more children. Jacqui and Tony want to raise Max, but Tina decides to keep him. The truth about Max's paternity is revealed, making Dom and Tina split up. In order to make Max's life as normal as possible, Tina and Russ agree to move in together. However, Tina does not love Russ and soon moves out. As she does, Niall kidnaps her and ties her up in an abandoned church with her sisters. Niall leaves Myra a note from Tina, similar to one she left with him as a baby, so she goes looking for her daughters. When she arrives at the church, Niall makes Myra choose which two children will live, telling her that he will kill the rest. Myra chooses Tina, because of Max, and Michaela, because she is the youngest. Dom, Tony, Jack Osborne (Jimmy McKenna) and Darren Osborne (Ashley Taylor Dawson) enter the church to save the McQueens from Niall, who detonates explosives. All the McQueens survive and begin to exit the church in the aftermath of the explosion but return when they learn that Niall is holding John Paul McQueen (James Sutton) hostage. The floor collapses and Tina is trapped under the rubble. Dom holds Tina, who is fatally wounded. Tina tells Dom how much she loves him before dying. Dom carries Tina's lifeless body out of the church to the devastated McQueens.

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Tina Reilly

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Tina Reilly (also McQueen) is a fictional character from the British , played by . Introduced in August 2006 as a member of the , she worked as a careers advisor and was involved in major storylines including a relationship with , at work, and acting as a surrogate mother. Tina departed the series in October 2008 after being killed in a church , with a brief flashback appearance in November 2014.

Casting

Development and introduction

Tina Reilly, originally known as Tina McQueen, was introduced in 2006 as part of the expansive storyline in the soap opera , aimed at bolstering the show's ensemble with vibrant, multifaceted family dynamics. Producer Bryan Kirkwood, who joined the series that year, spearheaded the creation of the McQueens as a "loud family of sisters and a gay brother" centered around the existing character Jones (later renamed ), to inject "big voices" and fresh narrative energy into the program. This development sought to deepen interpersonal relationships within the village of , particularly through the clan's chaotic interactions, while opening avenues for romantic and familial subplots that contrasted with the more individualistic characters already established. Tina's debut on 3 August 2006 marked her as the second McQueen sister to appear, following Mercedes, and was designed to catalyze explorations of young love and familial misunderstandings within the boisterous household. Her initial storyline revolved around an immediate connection with , a shy student, whom she met shortly after arriving in ; their shared interests in and reserved personalities quickly led to a date invitation, setting the stage for a tender romance amid the McQueens' overbearing influence. This pairing emphasized themes of budding relationships tested by external family pressures, enriching the broader McQueen narrative without overshadowing the clan's core comedic and dramatic elements. Conceptually, Tina was envisioned as a to her more extroverted siblings, portrayed as the quiet, intelligent, and level-headed member of the family—a "bookworm" who navigated the McQueens' high-energy environment with sensibility and restraint. This characterization provided narrative balance, allowing storylines to highlight internal contrasts within the family unit, such as Tina's grounded perspective clashing with the sisters' impulsive tendencies, thereby enhancing the depth of group dynamics introduced that year. was cast in the role to embody this nuanced addition to the ensemble.

Portrayal by Leah Hackett

Leah Hackett, aged 21, was cast as Tina Reilly shortly after graduating from the , marking her first major role. She joined the production in 2006 to portray the newest member of the boisterous , contributing to the expansion of the clan's on-screen presence. Hackett's tenure on spanned from the character's debut on 3 August 2006 to October 2008, during which she appeared in over 150 episodes.

Character biography

Family and background

Tina Reilly (née McQueen; full name Tina Chasity Loretta McQueen) was the daughter of Myra McQueen and Marvin Bassman, born in 1984 as a result of a one-night stand between her parents when Myra was 19 years old. She was named after the singer Tina Turner. Marvin, a married bingo caller, had a brief affair with Myra, leading to Tina's birth and her integration into the extensive McQueen clan despite the circumstances of her conception. As a member of the , Tina was the half-sister to , , , , , and Carmel McQueen, sharing the same mother but different fathers in most cases. The were a large, boisterous of Irish descent residing in the village, characterized by their tight-knit yet tumultuous dynamics marked by frequent conflicts, loyalties, and dramatic entanglements. Tina shared particularly close relationships with her sisters Jacqui and Mercedes, often highlighted in family interactions that underscored the McQueens' supportive yet volatile nature.

Personality and characteristics

Tina Reilly is depicted as a quiet and intelligent character, often portrayed as a bookworm who is more down-to-earth and moral than the rest of her . Despite her reserved nature, she shows impulsiveness in romantic pursuits, such as her affair with Owen while married. Tina exhibits vulnerabilities, including naivety that leaves her open to emotional pitfalls, such as trusting her harassing boss Pete Webster. Her unwavering loyalty to forms a core strength, prompting protective and self-sacrificing behaviors that highlight her deep-seated . Throughout her arc, Tina evolves from a more naive individual into a responsible mother, demonstrating growth in maturity and foresight before her storyline concludes.

Storylines

Introduction (2006)

Tina Reilly, a member of the , made her debut in in August 2006, arriving as the quiet, bookish youngest sister to Carmel and . She quickly caught the attention of "Dom" Reilly at Il Gnosh restaurant, where the pair bonded over their shared passion for reading and their similarly passive personalities. Their budding romance faced several hurdles, including a series of awkward and failed dates that highlighted their mutual shyness and inexperience. Despite these setbacks, the relationship progressed when Dom and Tina shared their first kiss, followed by losing their virginity to each other in a tender, intimate moment that solidified their connection. Complications arose from a misunderstanding when Tina's sisters, Carmel and , overheard Dom affectionately calling her "Cathy"—a reference to a character from one of Tina's favorite books, as Dom had pretended to have read it to impress her. Believing it to be evidence of with a named Kathy Barnes, the sisters plotted to expose him, leading to a comedic confrontation that resolved when they discovered Dom and Tina together in bed, clearing up the mix-up and adding to the McQueen 's signature .

Relationship and marriage (2007)

In early 2007, Tina's relationship with Dominic "Dom" Reilly deepened, building on their initial romantic connection from the previous year. On 18 April, Dom proposed to Tina in a creative manner during a casual moment, using a puzzle where the horizontal clue read "will you marry me," and she responded affirmatively by filling in "yes" vertically across the grid. Tina accepted, marking a significant commitment in their relationship. As wedding preparations progressed, Tina and Dom discovered their planned date conflicted with that of Tina's sister and her fiancé Owen, leading to suggest a double ceremony to accommodate both couples. Despite initial reluctance from Tina and Mercedes, the families agreed to the joint event scheduled for 13 July at the local church. The planning highlighted family entanglements, with tensions arising from Mercedes's secretive behavior, but the sisters proceeded with the shared celebration. The wedding day unfolded with high drama when Louise Summers interrupted the ceremony, accusing Mercedes of spending the night with Warren Fox—the same evening linked to an incident involving Clare Devine—potentially providing Warren an alibi for his arrest on attempted murder charges. To protect her sister and salvage the proceedings, Tina quickly provided a false alibi, assuring Russ that Mercedes had been with her all night, allowing the vows to continue uninterrupted. Mercedes pleaded with Russ to trust her version of events, and both couples exchanged vows successfully, with Tina and Dom becoming husband and wife alongside Mercedes and Russ. However, the deception sowed seeds of resentment between the sisters, as Tina later expressed lasting bitterness over how the drama overshadowed her special day. Following the , Tina and Dom faced challenges with privacy in the bustling McQueen household and decided to move in with Tina's sister and her partner, —Dom's half-brother—for a more independent start to married life. This relocation allowed the newlyweds to host a , celebrating their new chapter away from the family's chaos.

Surrogacy, birth, and death (2008)

In early 2008, Tina Reilly agreed to act as a surrogate mother for her sister and Jacqui's partner , who were unable to conceive naturally, using Tony's sperm for the insemination process. The arrangement strained family dynamics, with Tina's mother and sister Mercedes voicing strong opposition, attempting to dissuade her from proceeding due to the emotional and ethical complexities involved. During a routine 12-week prenatal scan in March, Tina learned she was actually 15 weeks pregnant, indicating the child had been conceived earlier through her affair with Russ Owen rather than the insemination. She confided the truth in Jacqui, who urged her to keep the paternity secret to preserve the surrogacy plan and avoid further family upheaval. This revelation intensified tensions, as the pregnancy progressed amid ongoing resentments from Tina's recent wedding to Dom Reilly. In July, Tina's half-brother , harboring deep resentment toward the , pushed her down a flight of steps in the city center after overhearing her discuss adoption plans for the baby. The assault triggered premature labor, leading to an emergency delivery of her son, whom she named Max; complications from the fall necessitated an immediate , leaving Tina unable to have more children. Niall falsely accused bystander Jamie "Fletch" Fletcher of the attack to deflect suspicion. Following Max's birth, a fierce custody battle ensued, with Jacqui and Tony asserting their rights under the surrogacy agreement, while Tina insisted on raising the child herself. Jacqui leveraged the threat of exposing Tina's affair with and Max's true paternity to pressure her into relinquishing custody, ultimately forcing Tina to hand over the baby temporarily. The paternity secret surfaced publicly at Max's naming ceremony on 24 July 2008, when Tina broke down and admitted was the father, prompting her immediate split from Dom, who felt betrayed by the deception. In the aftermath, Tina briefly moved in with to co-parent Max before deciding to leave the arrangement amid ongoing instability. Tina's final ordeal began in October when Niall, escalating his revenge against the McQueens for abandoning him as a child, kidnapped several family members—including Tina, her sisters Carmel, , and Jacqui, and their mother —and held them hostage in St. Eustace's , which he had rigged with explosives. As part of his twisted game, Niall forced to answer questions about her past neglect; for each correct response, he released one family member, but wrong answers led to dire consequences, culminating in Myra selecting Tina as a survivor due to her role as Max's mother. Panicking as rescuers approached, Niall detonated the bombs, causing the church to collapse in a massive explosion. Tina became trapped under falling rubble and, despite desperate rescue efforts, succumbed to her crush injuries in Dom's arms, whispering her love for him as her final words.

Legacy

Impact on the McQueen family

Tina Reilly's surrogacy decision for her sister Jacqui McQueen and Jacqui's partner Tony Hutchinson created immediate tensions within the family, as Tina's eventual choice to retain custody of her son Max following a medical emergency during childbirth led to heated confrontations and dashed hopes for Jacqui's motherhood. This rift extended to broader sisterly strains, including resentment toward Mercedes McQueen, who openly criticized the surrogacy arrangement and exacerbated family discord by mocking its unconventional nature during discussions. The fallout complicated custody dynamics, with Jacqui initially positioning herself to raise Max after Tina's death, only for Max's biological father, Russ Owen, to intervene and relocate the child abroad, prolonging emotional divisions among the siblings. Myra McQueen advocated for Max's return during the 2009 custody battle, highlighting her role as matriarch. The revelation of as the McQueens' half-brother and his subsequent campaign of revenge inflicted profound trauma across the family, culminating in the 2008 church explosion that claimed Tina's life and left the survivors grappling with loss and betrayal. 's kidnappings of multiple McQueen siblings, including Tina, and his orchestration of the blast underscored the family's vulnerability to hidden familial ties, yet Tina's death in particular amplified narratives of McQueen resilience, as the remaining members united in the face of devastation to support one another and seek justice against . This event reinforced the clan's enduring bonds, transforming individual grief into a testament to their ability to endure systemic threats from within. Following Tina's death, Max's upbringing became a focal point for family reconfiguration, with initial custody battles in 2009 leading to Russ kidnapping him abroad. and Max returned in 2018, but after 's death in 2018, Mercedes temporarily cared for Max. In 2019, following a custody dispute, Max moved to live with his aunt , concluding his time in the McQueen household.

Memorials and references

Following Tina's death in 2008, her memory has been honored within the Hollyoaks narrative through specific tributes by the . In February 2017, gave birth to a daughter during the funeral of her niece Celine McQueen and named the child Carmina McQueen in remembrance of Tina and her half-sister Carmel McQueen, who had died in a 2014 car accident. This naming served as a poignant nod to the family's losses, blending elements of the deceased sisters' names. Tina has been occasionally referenced in later McQueen storylines, often during moments of family turmoil where characters invoke her bold and resilient personality to inspire endurance amid crises. For instance, a 2014 flashback appearance during Carmel's funeral highlighted Tina's place in the 's collective grief. Within the show, Tina endures as a symbol of the McQueen clan's recurring tragedies and unyielding spirit, representing the high stakes of their dramatic entanglements without any narrative . Fans have echoed this legacy through calls for actress Leah Hackett's return, notably in 2012 when co-star publicly advocated for reviving the character to explore further family dynamics. Despite such appeals, producers have maintained Tina's permanent departure, reinforcing her role in the storyline's themes of loss and perseverance.

References

  1. https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Tina_Reilly
  2. https://www.channel4.com/press/news/interview-bryan-kirkwood
  3. https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Mercedes_McQueen
  4. https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a856842/hollyoaks-missing-mcqueens-where-are-they-now/
  5. https://www.leighjournal.co.uk/news/1015501.tv-soap-star-is-school-award-winner/
  6. https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/17000227/hollyoaks-mcqueen-family-explained/
  7. https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a824230/hollyoaks-forgotten-mcqueen-family-members/
  8. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/Hollyoaks
  9. https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_2018_%2818th_April_2007%29
  10. https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a64639/2079-louise-crashes-the-wedding/
  11. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1081382/
  12. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1081383/
  13. https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a64640/2080-jaqui-smacks-louise-in-the-face/
  14. https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a76208/2139-tina-and-dom-throw-a-housewarming/
  15. https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a91448/2262-tina-receives-some-shocking-news/
  16. https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a138722/year-in-brief-2008-hollyoaks/
  17. https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a102315/2333-tina-gives-birth-to-a-baby-boy/
  18. https://www.whattowatch.com/events/who-is-the-real-father-of-tinas-baby
  19. https://www.channel4.com/press/news/hollyoaks-20-best-moments
  20. https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a132877/in-pictures-hollyoaks-mcqueen-death/
  21. https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Myra_McQueen
  22. https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/hollyoaks-maxine-patricks-domestic-abuse-6624914
  23. https://www.dailystar.co.uk/tv/hollyoaks-mcqueen-familys-most-devastating-25795699
  24. https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Max_Owen
  25. https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/soaps/hollyoaks/mercedes-loses-max-to-russs-sister-in-hollyoaks/
  26. https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Carmina_McQueen
  27. https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a433287/hollyoaks-star-jennifer-metcalfe-calls-for-leah-hackett-return/
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