Former airport check-in assistant Michelle Keegan won the role of Tina McIntyre at only her second acting audition in 2007, going on to be one of Corrie’s most popular characters. Michelle, 22, says she couldn’t be more different from her mouthy Corrie counterpart

Do you like playing Tina?
Yeah, it’s really liberating because she’s someone who speaks her mind and is very opinionated – and I’m not like that in real life at all!

Corrie’s Tina is not really a girls’ girl is she?
Not really, I think she gets on better with boys. I’m half and half – I’ve got male friends and girlfriends.

You only recently moved out of your mum’s house – how’s that been?
I love having my own space – I’m one for peace and quiet, me! I’ve brought my sausage dog, Phoebe, with me, and my boyfriend Brad (Howard, a model) comes round a lot. I’ve also discovered I’m quite domesticated, which I didn’t think I was!

You recently admitted to having a comfort blanket called Sniff…
Oh yes, I still use it – Sniff’s in the car! (laughs)

What do you do when you’ve got some downtime from filming?
I just chill out and have lie-ins. I go to the gym more when I’m off, because all my friends and my mum and dad are at work. And I walk Phoebe – which I hate, but she’s putting on weight!

If you finished acting tomorrow, do you think you could go back to working for an airline?
I’d like to think so. I did really enjoy it when I was there, but I just knew it wasn’t the job I wanted. But now that I’ve done acting I would like to stay in acting, definitely.

How did you feel about recently winning a Sexiest Female Award?
I honestly couldn’t believe it! I just didn’t expect it at all. It was very flattering.

By Martina Fowler