Tina Malone, 63, unveils new pixie cut after revealing she 'still feels like a fat girl' despite 12 stone weight loss

Tina Malone unveiled a bold new look on Thursday after swapping her trademark long blonde locks for an edgy pixie cut. 

The Shameless star, 63, appeared on Good Morning Britain alongside Terry Christian to talk through the day's news events – including a segment on social care – where she revealed her mother was suffering from an undisclosed illness.

In the chat, Tina discussed new Prime Minister Andy Burnham's proposed overhaul of England's adult social care system. 

For her appearance on the show, Tina opted for a colourful striped jumper that covered up her weight loss. 

The actress has lost 12.5 stone since having a gastric band fitted in 2010, yet revealed in October last year that she still 'feels that fat girl' inside her. 

She told BANG Showbiz: 'I lost weight and so there is still some times I feel that fat girl still. I look in the mirror, and it doesn't quite feel as good as I guess I should feel.'

Tina – who has a 12-year-old daughter called Flame with her late husband Paul Chase, as well as a 44-year-old daughter named Dannielle from a previous relationship – said: 'I lost weight for me, nobody else. 

'For my health, and to have my daughter [Flame]. At 50 years of age, I gave birth to this beauty.' 

Tina has kept a relatively low profile in recent months while grieving the loss of husband Paul Chase – who tragically died by suicide in March 2024 at the age of 41.

Paul fought a long battle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – a mental health condition developed after a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic event, such as war.

Last September, Tina emotionally told Best magazine's editor-in-chief Siobhan Wykes on the Suddenly Single podcast that she 'can't wait' for the day she is reunited with her late spouse.

She added she 'wouldn't be here now' if it wasn't for her youngest child Flame, who is grieving the loss of her father.

Tina said: 'I relish the thought of dying, which I know that sounds kind of crazy. If I didn't have Flame, I wouldn't be here now.'

Siobhan asked: 'Do you really believe so?'

Tina replied: 'Absolutely. With pure joy. And I can say that rationally, and everything else.

'I have to be strong and have to love and protect and ensure my youngest girl fulfils everything in life. But no, I relish passing over whatever you want to call it, death, whatever. I relish it.'

The Brookside star continued: 'I welcome the day because I will be with him again. And that's all I live for.'

Tina said she is adamant she will 'never' date again or have sex with another man.

She admitted: 'I will never date again. I've had enough good sex in my life to last me a lifetime... I've had the greatest sex with quite a few men. The best and the penultimate being with my darling Paul.'

In May 2024, Tina recalled receiving her late husband's final texts hours after he sent them on the night he took his own life.

Tina told how because she has an 'old phone' the messages did not come through until it was too late for her to do anything to help.

She explained that the police knocked on her door to share the heartbreaking news about Paul's passing, just as she received the texts from him.

Tina revealed Paul sent her a text at 4am on the night of his death, which read: 'I am sorry I left you, you lit up my life every time I saw you. I'm sorry.'

Tina had tragically read that message just as police had arrived at her Liverpool home, after Paul had not returned home that night.

The Brookside actress was just about to take their 10-year-old child Flame to school when police arrived and informed her that Paul was dead.

In the text, the former military man also wrote: 'Tina, please forgive me and one day when you are up here with me we will meet again. Xxx I love you Tina, I will visit you when I find a way. I am sorry my love, you made my life perfect, throughout the chaos. Xxx I will come and visit you and Flame in spirit. Please forgive me xxx'

Speaking to OK magazine, Tina said: 'His last texts were sent at about 4am but I have an old phone and they didn't come through straight away. When they finally arrived the police were already at my house breaking the news that he'd gone.'

Tina added: 'I've not spoken about this publicly until this minute. It's the first time I've said it and confirmed it. Paul did commit suicide. I believe in transparency.'

Paul was a former member of the 22nd Regiment of the Cheshires, serving in Northern Ireland, Belize, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Falklands – where he was nicknamed Chevy by fellow squaddies because of his surname, after the comedian.

But Tina said he would talk often about the Army when intoxicated – and she encouraged him to seek help to cope with what he saw while serving his country.

Tina said: 'When he got drunk he'd ramble about the army and I'd tell him, "You have depression, you have emotional issues because of what you've seen." But he'd sweep it away. He'd say, 'How will I get a job if I have that?''

She and Paul met at a boot camp event where he was a personal trainer after her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother.

But their relationship was troubled in 2017 as Tina was arrested and cautioned for cocaine possession – being sacked from a pantomime in the process – while Paul lost his job caring for violent teenagers.

The couple were left facing bankruptcy and Tina says his mental health spiralled during this time, using prescription drugs and cocaine in an attempt to cope before attempting to take his own life.

He was admitted to psychiatric care, and was given help by a veterans charity, but Tina said he would experience mood swings.

Eventually, Tina said, Paul 'couldn't fight anymore.' After making food for Flame, he kissed Tina, went out – and was dead hours later.

'He felt lost, he felt useless,' she said.

Tina tied the knot with Paul, who was 19 years her junior, in 2010 and they were married for nine years, before briefly separating in 2019 – getting back together just months later in February 2020.

Following their 2020 reunion, the soap star said their relationship was back to normal and said their 'love never went away'.

She told Closer magazine at the time: 'The love never went away, we're working on things now, our problems were compounded by depression but I learned that in tough times you have to pull together and not apart.'