Tim and Gina kiss! Coronation Street's Connie Hyde fears backlash for betraying Sally
With Sally banged up her sister moves in on her man
As the Metcalfes' marriage dissolves in Coronation Street, Gina Seddon (Connie Hyde) continues to fall hard for brother-in-law Tim (Joe Duttine) while sister Sally (Sally Dynevor) embarks on a four-year prison sentence having been framed for fraud by Duncan Radfield (Nicholas Gleaves).
Believing Sally cheated with Duncan and they colluded together, lonely Tim spirals into despair in the run-up to Christmas and gets roaring drunk at the Street Cars office party on Friday 21 December. When he ends up precariously perched atop the fire escape on Victoria Street, Gina climbs up to save him and thankful Tim gives her a platonic kiss - unwittingly fuelling her feelings further… RadioTimes.com caught up with Hyde to find out if those rumours about a festive affair for Gina and Tim are really true.
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Is Gina in love with Tim, or flattered by the fact he's nice to her?
Gina is quite chaotic and Tim provides a stability and friendship which is unique in her relationships with men usually, and I think that's what she is attracted to. She misconstrues some of the attention he gives her but they get on as mates, Gina is very different to Sally - she'll happily sit drinking beer and watching zombie movies with Tim!
Has she been jealous of Sally's life?
They both grew up in the gutter and come from a rough, dysfunctional background. Sally got out very early on and Gina didn’t, which is the cause of a lot of her problems. I think she’s happy for Sally but Gina wonders what would've happened had she got out, and if Sally had been there for her a bit more when they were younger.
Having deliberately kept Tim away from Sally, does she plan to seduce him?
It's not machiavellian on her part, none of it is planned. She does irrational things without thinking, it's important to remember because of her bipolar condition she has massive emotions and doesn't consider the consequences. And in fact when she realised she was falling for Tim she did try and fight it and tried internet dating.
Do you think there will be an audience backlash for messing with Sally and Tim?
There might be, but the way it’s played people can see it’s not planned on her part. Gina is quite a sad character in many ways so I think there will be some sympathy for her. Then again Sally is one of the most loved characters on the show!
Does Tim suspect Gina has feelings for him?
He's been warned by his dad, and there have been times when he's hugged her and thinks she’s held on a bit too long, but apart from that, no. It means nothing to him.
Would Tim and Gina make a good couple if circumstances were different?
He’s very uncomplicated so maybe, as long as his tea’s on the table! No I think she’s a bit chaotic for him and he would very soon get sick of her. I did like the dynamic with Dev and love Jimmi Harkishin's energy, I think they’re both unusual characters, but at the moment he doesn't seem to be able to accept her for who she is.
What would Sally's reaction be if she knew how Gina felt?
Ordinarily she wouldn't see Gina as a threat, but now she's in prison and not around it could be a different dynamic… Me and Sally (Dynevor) love each other in real life but it's great fun when we have to act out an argument between the characters. I adore her.
Does Gina feel guilty about getting closer to Tim with Sally in prison?
Conveniently for Gina she believes Duncan's story that Sally cheated on Tim. She’s moralistic about it and is appalled, which excuses her behaviour of falling for Tim as she thinks Sally perhaps doesn't deserve him. Gina has had two broken marriages and dysfunctional relationships with her two children, she just needs to be loved and she wishes Tim was hers. She has a lot of love to give, but not many people want it!
How do you switch off from playing Gina's emotional highs and lows?
With a big glass of wine! I also have an allotment, I grow my own veggies. Courgettes, onions, purple sprouts for Christmas. They are lovely. I brought the courgettes in for the cast as I grew so many! I think gardening is good for mental health and it helps me unwind.
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