# Tina Malone
**Tina Malone** (birth name Christina Marie Malone, born 1963) is an English actress, writer, producer, and director best known for playing Mimi Maguire in the [Channel 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/channel-4) comedy-drama *[Shameless](https://www.edgepedia.org/shameless-british-tv-series)* and Mo McGee in the soap opera *Brookside*.[1](https://shameless.fandom.com/wiki/Tina_Malone) • [2](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/brookside-actress-channel-b1145169.html) She has also worked extensively in reality and panel television and runs her own drama school.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Christina Marie Malone, born 1963; sources give her birthplace as Bristol (IMDb) or Toxteth, Liverpool (Shameless Wiki)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0540516/bio/) • [1](https://shameless.fandom.com/wiki/Tina_Malone) |
| Signature roles | Mimi Maguire in *Shameless* (Channel 4, series 2–11, 2005–2013, 112 episodes); Mo McGee in *Brookside*[1](https://shameless.fandom.com/wiki/Tina_Malone) • [2](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/brookside-actress-channel-b1145169.html) |
| Other screen work | Bobbie in Victoria Wood's *dinnerladies*; Moira in *Common As Muck*; roles in *Tin Star*, *Clink*, and the film *The Long Day Closes* (1992)[4](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/tina_malone/) • [5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/tina-malone/credits/3030436006/) |
| Reality television | Sixth series of *Celebrity Big Brother* (January 2009); winner of *Celebrity Four Weddings* (2010) and *Celebrity Come Dine with Me* (2012)[1](https://shameless.fandom.com/wiki/Tina_Malone) • [6](https://www.asmtalent.com/tina-malone) |
| Marriage | Married army veteran Paul Chase on 29 August 2010; daughter Flame born 2013, when Malone was 50, after IVF treatment[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0540516/bio/) |
| Husband's death | Paul Chase died on 13 March 2024, aged 42; Malone announced in May 2024 that he had died by suicide after suffering PTSD, anxiety, and depression[7](https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/shameless-star-tina-malone-reveals-husband-paul-chase-death-5Hjcg2B_2/) • [8](https://www.nationalworld.com/culture/celebrity/tina-malone-cause-husband-paul-chase-malones-death-he-couldnt-fight-any-more-4634097) |
| Autobiography | *Back in Control: My Story*, covering her Liverpool childhood, teenage pregnancy, and rise to fame[9](https://www.hachette.com.au/tina-malone/back-in-control-my-story) |
## Acting career
Malone's early career was built in Liverpool television. She played Mo McGee in the Channel 4 soap opera *Brookside*, and a nurse called Bobbie in [Victoria Wood](https://www.edgepedia.org/victoria-wood)'s *dinnerladies*.[2](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/brookside-actress-channel-b1145169.html) • [6](https://www.asmtalent.com/tina-malone) Her film appearances include Terence Davies's *[The Long Day Closes](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-long-day-closes)* (1992), in which she played Edna; Rotten Tomatoes lists that film as her highest-rated work at 82 percent.[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/tina_malone)
**Shameless.** Malone's best-known role is Mimi Maguire (credited in early series as Mimi Tutton), described by her talent agency as "the brash, belligerent, foul-mouthed" matriarch of the Maguire family in [Paul Abbott](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-abbott)'s Channel 4 drama *Shameless*.[6](https://www.asmtalent.com/tina-malone) She joined in series 2 (2005) and stayed through the eleventh and final series in 2013, appearing in 112 episodes.[1](https://shameless.fandom.com/wiki/Tina_Malone) Her television film work includes the BAFTA-winning drama *Longford* (2006), in which she played Elsie; Metacritic records a Metascore of 88 for that production, the highest score listed on her career page.[11](https://www.metacritic.com/person/tina-malone/)
**Reality and panel television.** Malone entered the *Celebrity Big Brother* house on 2 January 2009 as the seventh housemate of the sixth series and was the second person evicted, on 16 January.[1](https://shameless.fandom.com/wiki/Tina_Malone) She won *Celebrity Four Weddings* in December 2010 and Channel 4's *Celebrity Come Dine with Me* in early 2012, and has appeared on *8 Out of 10 Cats*, *Celebrity Masterchef*, *Loose Women*, *This Morning*, and ITV's diving show *Splash!*, where she reached the dive-off stage.[6](https://www.asmtalent.com/tina-malone) • [5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/tina-malone/credits/3030436006/)
## Drama school and writing
Malone runs her own drama school and casting agency, To Be Frank Productions, named after her late father Frank; the school produces plays in Liverpool theaters such as the Everyman Theatre.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0540516/bio/) • [6](https://www.asmtalent.com/tina-malone) In September 2009 she directed and starred in Kerry William's play *MeeT ThE DeAN's* at the Unity Theatre, Liverpool.[1](https://shameless.fandom.com/wiki/Tina_Malone) Her autobiography, *Back in Control: My Story*, describes a tough childhood in Liverpool, teenage pregnancy and single motherhood, addictions, mental illness, and bankruptcy before her fame on *Brookside* and *Shameless*.[9](https://www.hachette.com.au/tina-malone/back-in-control-my-story)
## Personal life
Malone has spoken publicly about having obsessive compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder.[1](https://shameless.fandom.com/wiki/Tina_Malone) She was declared bankrupt in May 2012.[1](https://shameless.fandom.com/wiki/Tina_Malone) Her weight loss has drawn sustained media attention: she had a gastric balloon fitted in March 2008 and removed that September, and her agency reports she went from a size 28 (19 stone 2 at her heaviest) to a size 8; in a 2016 *Loose Women* interview she said she had lost 12 and a half stone and had further surgery to remove excess skin.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0540516/bio/) • [6](https://www.asmtalent.com/tina-malone) • [12](https://www.itv.com/loosewomen/articles/tina-malone-reveals-more-surgery-to-remove-excess-skin-i-was-disgusted-at-myself)
She has two daughters: Dannielle, from a previous relationship, and Flame, born in 2013, when Malone was 50, after IVF treatment with her husband.[2](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/brookside-actress-channel-b1145169.html) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0540516/bio/) In 2019 she avoided jail after admitting she had breached a court injunction protecting the identity of James Bulger killer Jon Venables by sharing a Facebook post that purportedly included his new name; her barrister told the High Court she accepted she was in breach.[13](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/tina-malone-husband-death-cause-b2526187.html)
**Marriage to Paul Chase.** Malone met Paul Chase, an army veteran 19 years her junior, at a fitness boot camp in 2008, and they married on 29 August 2010.[6](https://www.asmtalent.com/tina-malone) • [14](https://www.entertainmentdaily.com/news/tina-malone-husband-paul-chase-dead-inside-marriage-children-split) They announced a separation in 2019 after 11 years together but reconciled in February 2020; Malone told *Closer* magazine that their problems were compounded by depression and that "the love never went away".[7](https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/shameless-star-tina-malone-reveals-husband-paul-chase-death-5Hjcg2B_2/)
Chase died on 13 March 2024 at the age of 42. Malone announced his death on X the same day, writing that she was "totally devastated"; his cause of death was not initially revealed.[7](https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/shameless-star-tina-malone-reveals-husband-paul-chase-death-5Hjcg2B_2/) The Cheshire Regiment Association, of which Chase had been a member, confirmed his death and received tributes from former colleagues.[15](https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/tina-malone-husband-tributes-dies-42-5Hjcg4j_2/) In May 2024 Malone said he had died by suicide after struggling with PTSD, anxiety, and depression, saying "He couldn't fight any more", and announced the launch of a foundation called Paul's Flame, to help people in crisis, on what would have been his birthday.[8](https://www.nationalworld.com/culture/celebrity/tina-malone-cause-husband-paul-chase-malones-death-he-couldnt-fight-any-more-4634097)
## References
1. [Tina Malone, Shameless Wiki (Fandom)](https://shameless.fandom.com/wiki/Tina_Malone)
2. [Actress Tina Malone 'totally devastated' by husband's death, The Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/brookside-actress-channel-b1145169.html)
3. [Tina Malone – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0540516/bio/)
4. [Tina Malone, British Comedy Guide](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/tina_malone/)
5. [Tina Malone List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/tina-malone/credits/3030436006/)
6. [Tina Malone, ASM Talent](https://www.asmtalent.com/tina-malone)
7. ['Totally devastated & heartbroken': Shameless star Tina Malone reveals death of her husband Paul Chase, LBC](https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/shameless-star-tina-malone-reveals-husband-paul-chase-death-5Hjcg2B_2/)
8. [Tina Malone reveals cause of her husband Paul Chase Malone's death, NationalWorld](https://www.nationalworld.com/culture/celebrity/tina-malone-cause-husband-paul-chase-malones-death-he-couldnt-fight-any-more-4634097)
9. [Back in Control by Tina Malone, Hachette Australia](https://www.hachette.com.au/tina-malone/back-in-control-my-story)
10. [Tina Malone Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/tina_malone)
11. [Tina Malone, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/tina-malone/)
12. [Tina Malone reveals she's had more surgery to remove excess skin, Loose Women (ITV)](https://www.itv.com/loosewomen/articles/tina-malone-reveals-more-surgery-to-remove-excess-skin-i-was-disgusted-at-myself)
13. [Tina Malone says she's 'broken' after death of husband, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/tina-malone-husband-death-cause-b2526187.html)
14. [Tina Malone announces husband Paul Chase has died aged 42, Entertainment Daily](https://www.entertainmentdaily.com/news/tina-malone-husband-paul-chase-dead-inside-marriage-children-split)
15. ['Stand easy brother': Tributes pour in for Tina Malone's husband after army veteran dies aged 42, LBC](https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/tina-malone-husband-tributes-dies-42-5Hjcg4j_2/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Soap operas and continuing serials › British and Australasian soaps and characters › British soap actors and production people*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license