When it comes to playing one half of a celebrity power couple, few people are more qualified than Michelle Keegan.
And taking on the role of football legend Bobby Moore’s wife Tina in ITV’s new three-part biopic was just as thrilling for Michelle as it was for her husband, TV presenter Mark Wright.
“Mark supports West Ham, who Bobby played for, so he’s shown a lot more interest in this than other things I’ve worked on!” laughs Michelle, 29. “He was like: ‘You’re doing my dream job.’ I don’t even understand the offside rule!”
But the Our Girl actress admits it was “daunting” to portray a real person.
“You want to do the role justice, but you want to make Tina proud too,” explains Michelle.
“She was at the read-through but I’d forgotten she was coming, so when I walked in and saw her, I was like: ‘Oh my God, that’s Tina Moore!’ I was really scared and didn’t look at her, but she came over to me at the end and she was really lovely.”
Long before Posh and Becks, striker Bobby (Grantchester actor Lorne MacFadyen) and his childhood sweetheart Tina were the nation’s golden couple.
Tina & Bobby tells the story of how, thanks to his heroics helping England win the 1966 World Cup, the ordinary couple from modest upbringings were suddenly confronted with the extraordinary world of fame and fortune.
talented tongue 
Michelle Keegan can now speak with a perfect Essex accent after being taught by hubby Mark Wright
Michelle Keegan shows off short blonde locks and red lips in sneak peek at 3rd episode of Tina and Bobby
Blonde-haired Michelle Keegan plays the doting wife in episode two of new drama Tina and Bobby
Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright share Christmas love in Boxing Day party selfie
“I can relate to what Tina and Bobby went through [in the public eye] – people only see a small percentage of your life and they don’t understand what goes on away from the spotlight,” says Michelle.
“But what really matters is your home life and I’m very lucky that mine is normal and that’s because of the people I have around me.
“Media interest is like water off a duck’s back now. Mark and I have a strong dynamic.”
Tina & Bobby spans the 60s, 70s and 80s, and Manchester-born Michelle had to alter her look and accent to play the blonde Essex girl.
“I dyed my hair and it was a big shock when I saw myself for the first time,” she laughs.
“It scared me. I thought Mark would hate it but he actually liked it.
“And Tina’s accent is very neutral, luckily; she’s not very East End or Essex. I would have been fine with Essex because I am around it all the time anyway, so I can get the twang.”
With Michelle’s latest role expected to draw comparisons with Sheridan Smith, who has portrayed real-life characters such as Cilla Black and Charmian Biggs – “I am a massive fan of Sheridan’s, so to be compared to her is a huge honour” – she’s come a long way since she quit her role as Corrie’s Tina McIntyre in 2014 and feared she’d committed career suicide.
“I didn’t know if I was ever going to work again, and there was no going back because Tina had died,” Michelle recalls.
“But I think that’s given me the drive. If I’d had that safety net, I wouldn’t have pushed as hard as I have. As a jobbing actress, you’re always waiting for the next role but I like the buzz of that – I don’t know where the next pay cheque is coming from every month and I enjoy that.
“I sometimes stop and say: ‘Oh my God, how am I doing this?’ Corrie was my first-ever acting job and I used to think I shouldn’t be there, and I still feel that someone will find me out – I don’t think I’ll ever lose that.
"But I know I made the right decision to leave because I didn’t want to look back in 10 years’ time and think: ‘What if?’ I would love to work in the US next.
"Me and Mark went out last year and had a great time, so if anything came up… I don’t think I’d move there because I like being at home, but I would 100 per cent go there to do a job.
“I pinch myself about how my career has panned out. I feel privileged to be where I am.”
She reaches out to tap the table next to her: “Touch wood. Up to now, it’s gone all right.”
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