Tina Hobley (born 20 May 1972 in Mill Hill, London) is an English television actress.
Her parents Harry Snr from London, and Kathy, who was born in County Clare in Ireland and moved to London when she was two, ran a shop. Tina was born and raised in London. Very shy as a child, Tina went to speech and drama classes when she was five. It was about the same time that Tina tried various activities - including Brownies and Horse Riding, but Tina always wanted to be an actress, making her brother and younger cousin act out scenes with her when she was eight. Tina was engrossed in acting that she enroled in a very strict speech and drama teacher, who she adored - and stayed 15 years before drama school
After training at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art from 1990 to 1993, Hobley first rose to prominence in Coronation Street as Samantha Failsworth from 1996 to 1998. After leaving The Street, Hobley has appeared in Harbour Lights, The Bill and many other popular TV shows as well as some theatre productions.
Hobley is currently playing feisty ward sister nurse Chrissie Williams in Holby City. However, after playing in an 888.com sponsored poker tournament, joined by Bad Girls star Stephanie Beacham and Cutting It’s (and also former Holby City actress) Angela Griffin in the show called "The Queen of Diamonds", Hobley was given a month’s suspension without pay, because stars on an exclusive BBC deal are banned from taking part in anything commercial. Despite Hobley going out in the first round after just three hours, but BBC would not step down even though she gave her fee to charity. This took effect in November 2006 when scriptwriters on the BBC1 medical hit worked her out of the show. The character remained on-screen until the end of January. . Tina took leave after her suspension and is yet to return to Holby City.
Hobley made her donation to The Laura Sadler Memorial Fund which helps young wannabe actors, named in memory of Laura Sadler who played Holby’s nurse Sandy, who died in 2003 after falling from the balcony of her boyfriend’s flat.
Hobley married Graphic designer, Steve Wallington, in a ceremony in Ennis Cathedral, Ireland in 1998. Daughter Isabella was born in April 2000, but the couple are now divorced. On 22 April 2006, boyfriend of the past year Freud Communications Director Oliver (Oli) Wheeler, proposed to Tina at their Cotswolds cottage. Tina and Oli were married in December 2006 in the Cotswolds.
Tina has attracted the attention of those who vote in the FHM 100 Sexiest Women awards. Here are her rankings in given years:
