Tina O'Brien, known for her role as Sarah Platt on Coronation Street, has garnered compliments for her youthful appearance as she approaches her 43rd birthday. The actress recently shared a throwback photo on Instagram from 1999, prompting fans to remark that she looks decades younger.
Sarah Platt's Murder Plot
In the June 22 episode of Coronation Street, Sarah Platt was revealed as the killer of Theo Silverton, played by James Cartwright. Flashbacks detailed the events leading to the scaffolder's death, though Weatherfield residents remain unaware of the truth. This storyline adds to Sarah's dramatic history on the soap, which includes being kidnapped by her psychotic stepfather Richard Hillman (Brian Capron) and giving birth to daughter Bethany at age 13. She also suffered the loss of her son Billy shortly after his birth.
Career Journey
Before joining Coronation Street in 1999, O'Brien played Claire in CITV's Children's Ward in 1997. She left the soap in 2008 and appeared in shows like Waterloo Road, Casualty, Doctors, Blue Murder, and Clocking Off. She returned to Coronation Street in 2015 and has remained since. In a 2021 interview with The Mirror, she said: "I think I got a three-month contract to begin with, and I was just hoping to get through the first three months here and hopefully stay. I feel incredibly lucky to be where I am and be part of such an amazing family."
Youthful Looks and Beauty Regime
O'Brien posted a throwback photo on Instagram captioned "Hanging out in my bedroom 1999," showing her in a grey vest top and black Adidas tracksuit bottoms. She commented on her beauty routine, saying: "I'm turning 43 this year and sometimes people say to me, 'What beauty regimes are you using?'" Fans responded with compliments such as "You still look like you’re in your 20’s" and "You haven’t aged a day since 1999."
Relationship with Co-Star Ryan Thomas
O'Brien dated Coronation Street co-star Ryan Thomas, who played Jason Grimshaw, from 2003 to 2009. She initially dated his on-screen brother Bruno Langley (Todd Grimshaw) before moving on to Ryan. In 2007, she told The Mirror: "It was five months later when I got together with Ryan, and I was worried about it as he's a friend of Bruno. But we worked hard to make sure there wasn't any tension between the three of us." The couple had a daughter, Scarlett, in 2008, but split a year later. O'Brien later revealed to new! magazine: "He said he didn't love me any more. He said I didn't do it for him any more. Those were his words. He said he didn't want the responsibility of a relationship with me." Scarlett has since followed her parents into acting, joining Waterloo Road alongside her uncle Adam Thomas and cousin Teddy Thomas.
Marriage and Separation
In March 2025, O'Brien separated from her ex-husband Adam Crofts after seven years of marriage. The couple, who co-parent their son Beau, remain on good terms. Coronation Street airs weekdays on ITV and ITVX.
