Who did Tisha Merry play in Coronation Street? Details explored as actor Alan Halsall splits from soap co-star

Tisha Merry and Alan Halsall reportedly ended their five-year-long relationship earlier in January 2024. One of Tisha's friends was quoted by The Standard saying that the pressure got to them, leading them to break up. The news was first released by The Sun and although one of Tisha's friends confirmed it, neither of the actors have made any statements about the breakup.

Merry and Halsall reportedly began dating in 2019 after meeting on the sets of the show Coronation Street. While Alan Halsall played the role of Tyrone Dobbs, Tisha Merry brought to life the character of a bubbly barmaid, named Steph Britton. The 30-year-old actress gained a lot of fame for her portrayal of the character as fans claimed she brought depth and complexity to the show.

She was introduced as the sister of an already-established character, Luke Britton, played by Dean Fagan. Merry's journey as Steph was layered with family drama, heartbreak, and a new beginning.

---

Tisha Merry and Alan Halsall's Relationship Timeline

Alan Halsall began working as Tyrone Dobbs in the British TV drama Coronation Street in 1998. He met Tisha Merry on the sets of the show in 2014 when she was playing the role of Steph Britton, a barmaid and the sister of Luke Britton. Tisha worked on the show from 2013 to 2018 and was in as many as 300 episodes.

Reportedly, Alan Halsall and Tisha Merry started as yoga buddies and sparked rumors of a romance after pictures of them were posted on social media. They went public about their relationship in May 2019. Following that, Tisha Merry moved into Alan's home in Greater Manchester before the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantined together. Sienna-Rae, Halsall's daughter from his previous marriage also lived with the couple.

In an interview with OK Magazine in 2020, Tisha said that when she first met Alan on the set, she recalled thinking that he was "nice, professional, and really kind." She added that when she moved to Worsley, an area near where Alan lived, she began going to a yoga studio. Tisha recalled Alan messaging her that he went to the same studio and that they "should go together one day."

"It was about nine months of friendship at the start. It’s nice that we built a strong foundation before anything romantic," the actress added.

She even vlogged about the OK Magazine shoot on her YouTube Channel, which she started during the lockdown when she helped Alan co-parent Sienna.

Alan Halsall was previously married to his other Coronation Street co-star Lucy Jo-Hudson, who played the role of Katy Harris. The two married in 2009 and had their daughter Sienna in 2013. While they split up in 2016, they remained friends and even reconciled before ending things for good in 2018, and co-parent Sienna.

Tisha Merry's YouTube channel often featured her now ex-boyfriend and his daughter Sienna.

"He notices everything and his communication with Sienna is so strong. I would love that for our child if we have one," Tisha told OK Magazine in another interview.

The couple would participate in couple challenges, vlogs, pranks, and other content videos on Merry's YouTube page. They would also share the same on their respective X accounts.

However, the videos have now been made private and the YouTube channel has been deleted. Pictures of the couple have also been deleted from their respective Instagram accounts. They do have some pictures together but they are those in group photos and of past family gatherings. Merry and Halsall dated for five years before going their separate ways earlier this year.

---

Reason for the Split

While the former couple has deleted their pictures from social media, they have yet to make a public statement about their reported breakup. A source told The Sun that the "pressure got to them" and that they had begun drifting apart.

"Alan and Tisha had a lot of love for each other and had really similar interests, enjoying socialising and going on holiday together, But they started to drift apart and feel the pressure of making their relationship work get on top of them. They realised they weren’t on the same page and splitting up felt like the best option," the source claimed.

Merry has reportedly moved out of Halsall's home and is focusing on her upcoming work projects, including the BBC show Doctors and the CBBC show Princess Mirror-Belle.