Coronation Street legend Alan Halsall is currently facing his fears in the I’m A Celebrity jungle – a far cry from his role as mechanic Tyrone Dobbs in the ITV soap.
This week marks 26 years since the star, 42, first appeared on our screens, and during that time he’s been at the heart of multiple huge storylines.
Introduced as the cheeky, delinquent son of Jackie Dobbs (Margi Clarke), he soon cemented himself as a fan-favourite when Jack and Vera Duckworth (Bill Tarmey and Liz Dawn) and Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) took him under their wing.
Tyrone has had countless relationships, two marriages, discovered the truth behind his parentage and fathered a secret son across almost three decades on the nation’s favourite street.
Here, we takes a look back at some of his most memorable moments as Alan continues to charm audiences in Ant and Dec’s Australian camp.
Tyrone’s relationship with the Duckworths
Tyrone had a rough upbringing at the hands of his legal mother Jackie, who had spent time in prison for assaulting who – at the time – he believed was his father.
When she was arrested again, he was left to fend for himself and used his wages from the garage to live at Jack and Vera’s B&B on Park Road.
The iconic couple were estranged from their own son Terry (Nigel Pivaro), and soon became somewhat surrogate parents to the troubled youngster.
Vera disapproved of his relationship with Maria Sutherland (Samia Lonchambon) after catching them in bed together. It became clear that her dislike came from a place of love – she would settle for nothing but the best for Ty.
Their endearing bond would continue over the next decade, with Tyrone purchasing No. 9 from Jack following Vera’s death. He’s continued to live in the property, and has carried on their legacy with a marriage to Fiz (Jennie McAlpine).
Kevin’s the daddy!
His first marriage to Molly Compton (Vicky Binns) ended in disaster when she fell pregnant with his business partner Kevin’s child.
Tyrone was on cloud nine when baby Jack was born, aptly named after his father figure. However, when he was just three months old, the affair was revealed in spectacular style.
A tram had plummeted down from the viaduct and trapped Molly and Jack inside the corner shop, and Kevin’s wife Sally (Sally Dynevor) climbed through the rubble to be with them as she died.
During her last breaths, she confessed that her son had been fathered by Kevin, something which destroyed Tyrone. At her funeral, he handed the baby over to his real father.
In true Corrie style, the fellas are best pals again and continue to work harmoniously!
Harrowing abuse at the hands of Kirsty
One of Coronation Street’s most heartbreaking storylines kicked off in 2011, following the introduction of Natalie Gumede as his new girlfriend Kirsty Soames.
The policewoman subjected Tyrone to months of physical and emotional abuse, with him staying with her for fears she would turn on their daughter Ruby.
Plotting with Fiz to gain full custody of the child, he proposed to Kirsty, though the plan quickly backfired when she discovered their scheme.
In emotional scenes, she later confessed her abhorrent behaviour in court and was sent down.
Finding Evelyn and Cassie
When Jackie died in 2018, his ‘dad’ revealed that neither of them were his birth parents and he’d been found on the doorstep of a police station in 1982 and raised as their own.
Tracking down his parentage, Tyrone found grandmother Evelyn (Maureen Lipman), who explained that his birth mother Cassie had passed away years earlier.
Last year it transpired that Cassie was very much alive, though Evelyn had considered her to be dead after years of estrangement whilst she lived in South Africa.
Troubled by drug addiction, Tyrone was forced to allow his mum to live with him to rebuild her life.
Affair with Alina and secret son
During the pandemic, Tyrone’s happy life with Fiz was broken up when he fell for younger woman Alina.
The pair moved in together above the salon, though things quickly turned sour when Fiz’s pyromaniac daughter Hope disapproved of their union.
After learning Alina was pregnant, she set fire to the unborn baby’s cot in the living room and she miscarried.
It soon became clear that Tyrone’s heart was still with Fiz, who was due to marry new partner Phill. After learning they’d kissed, Alina moved back to Romania.
However, earlier this year we learnt that she’d actually settled in Hastings after giving birth to Ty’s son Dorin. For a while he debated trying to get custody, though allowed them both to leave again in September.
