Soap star Tina O'Brien left her social media followers utterly stunned this weekend, not just with a charming festive snapshot, but with her remarkably youthful appearance alongside her teenage daughter.
Mother-Daughter Duo Stun in Matching Ensembles
The Coronation Street actress, famed for playing Sarah Platt, shared a selfie to Instagram on Sunday featuring herself and her 17-year-old daughter, Scarlett Thomas. The pair delighted fans by twinning in coordinated crimson outfits for the holiday season. Tina, 42, opted for a sleek, figure-hugging red dress with a square neckline, accessorising with a black bow in her hair. Her daughter, Scarlett, who is the child of Tina's former Coronation Street co-star Ryan Thomas, 41, wore a playful red halterneck dress with a skater skirt.
The overwhelming response from fans centred on how incredibly young Tina looked, with many insisting the pair resembled sisters far more than mother and daughter. Comments flooded in, with followers writing sentiments such as 'How are you mother and daughter omg xx', 'Wow. ageing goals', and simply, 'Like sisters'.
A Period of Personal Challenges for the Star
The joyful post comes after a notably difficult period for Tina O'Brien. Last month, she broke a social media silence to reveal the heartbreaking death of her father. In a poignant post accompanied by the Cat Stevens song 'Father And Son', she told fans, 'My heart is very heavy but I'm grateful he is no longer suffering.' She thanked those who had supported her through the grieving process.
This personal loss was followed by the confirmed end of her brief romance with millionaire interior designer Adam Fadlé, 38. The couple had gone public just months earlier in the summer. Insiders suggested Tina ended the relationship because she felt it 'wasn't going anywhere', a blunt assessment that reportedly left Adam 'stunned'. Tina has since removed all traces of the relationship from her Instagram, including photos from a September holiday to Greece. This split occurred not long after the collapse of her seven-year marriage to ex-husband Adam Crofts, which reportedly ended last Christmas.
Scarlett Thomas: A Budding Star in Her Own Right
Meanwhile, Scarlett Thomas is swiftly carving her own path in the entertainment industry. The budding actress and singer made her television debut in 2023 on the BBC drama Waterloo Road, playing Izzy—the on-screen daughter of her real-life uncle, actor Adam Thomas.
Her famous family connections are extensive; her father is Ryan Thomas, and her other uncle is Love Island's Scott Thomas. Despite this, her father has insisted that Scarlett, often labelled a 'nepo baby', is 'not getting a free ride' in her career.
Her success is already quantifiable. With a prominent social media presence, she is predicted to earn up to £2 million before her 18th birthday. Her TikTok videos have garnered nearly three million views, and she has amassed over 204,000 followers on the platform, plus 142,000 on Instagram.
In a move that sparked debate among fans, Scarlett chose not to sit her GCSE exams this summer to focus on her showbiz career. While unusual, this is a legal option under the Education Act of 1996, allowing students to pursue other qualifications or leave formal education at 16.
