Inside Tina Malone’s marriage to Paul Chase after his tragic death aged 42, including 19-year age gap and shock split
SHAMELESS legend Tina Malone left her fans stunned earlier today when she announced her husband Paul Chase had died aged 42.
Tina, 61, married personal trainer Paul in 2010 after dating for two years, and despite their relationship setting tongues wagging due to their 19-year age gap, they proved they were the real deal.
But like any marriage, the pair weathered several storms during the course of their relationship – including a brief split, problems with the law and mental health struggles.
Boot camp romance
Tina and Paul met at a fitness boot camp back in 2008 and romance quickly blossomed.
At the time, Paul was 28, the same age as Tina’s daughter from a previous relationship, Danielle.
But Tina didn’t care about what the naysayers said about her dating a toyboy.
She said back in 2010: “People had plenty to say about the age difference, but at the end of the day, love is love, isn’t it?”
However, Tina admitting she struggled with body confidence around Paul in the early days.
“It’s not easy being naked in front of a bloke when you’re a fat bird. It took me six months to take off my clothes in front of him,” she said.
Tina went on to shed 7 stone after undergoing gastric band surgery the same year the pair wed.
She said at the time: “It’s been fantastic to see my body change,’ she said. ‘My belly’s shrunk so much and I’ve started to get a waist.
“I was so rotund before, I couldn’t fold my arms easily. The only problem now is that I’ve got excess skin. I’ve decided to do something about that though, and I’m planning a boob, neck and tummy tuck.”
A mum at 50
In 2013, Tina and Paul hit the headlines when they revealed she was pregnant and would become a mum again at 50.
She gave birth to a daughter, Flame, who was born on 15 December 2013/
In 2017 she also announced plans to have another child via IVF.
She told The Sunday Mirror: “Some will say I am selfish and irresponsible for having another child at 54.
“They will moralise and abuse me – even more so for selecting the sex of our baby – and everyone is entitled to their opinion.
“But I don’t give two f***s for what they think.”
In the end, however, the couple did not have another child.
She told Closer magazine: “I’ve been desperate to have another baby and give Flame a little brother or sister but we’ve decided not to try again.
“Paul needed convincing. Over the past twelve months I’ve laughed about it, rowed about it and stormed out of the house about it, but Paul never backed down.
“There have been tears but I’ve made my peace with it.
Trouble with the law
In December 2018, Tina was sacked from a production of Sleeping Beauty after admitting to possession of cocaine.
She was escorted from the premises by police who said they were tipped off she had the class A drug in her bag.
But Tina claimed she was set up.
She told The Sunday Mirror: “I swear on my daughter’s life I’d never take drugs in front of children or while performing.
“I told police it was a set-up but I took the caution because of Flame. She’d only just watched me on stage.
“I walked off, kissed her, and was just about to get into a taxi with her when the police came.
“My husband Paul took her to the hotel to wait for me. To be honest, I’d have admitted to being Jack the Ripper right there and then to get back to her.”
Tina, who was playing the fairy godmother, added: “If I’d have done this, I’d hold up my hand and admit it. But I didn’t. I was set up.
“I’ve always been honest about my addictions. I wrote I had college days smoking pot, I’d done ecstasy, I messed about with cocaine, but that my drug of choice would always have been alcohol.”
Tina also had another brush with the law in 2018 when she shared a post on Facebook, which allegedly including an image and new name of Jamie Bulger’s killer, Jon Venables.
The actress swerved going to jail after she admitted to breaching an injunction that protected the identity of the child killer.
Depression battles
After Tina’s arrest she spoke about how she felt suicidal.
Speaking to The Daily Star, the Shameless actress confessed that she had wrote suicide notes and made plans for her wake.
She said: “I felt like a burden to everybody so I wrote to everyone to apologise and planned my own funeral.”
The 55-year-old revealed how she wrote to husband Paul and her mum telling them not to allow ex-friends attend her funeral.
She said: “I felt like jumping in front a train and stood there many times. I’d had a falling out with a close friend who had turned to me and said: ‘Stop being a victim, Tina,’ which upset me so much.”
Paul also struggled with his mental health himself.
He lost his job caring for delinquent teens and the couple experienced money troubles as a result.
He also turned to drink when he struggled to find another job.
Shock split
In 2019, Tina stunned her fans when she announced she and Paul were separating.
She wrote on social media at the time: “With great sadness i wrote this myself and paul have split up after 11 yrs together!”
Their separation came after their legal troubles and financial issues took a toll on their marriage.
Happily, however, after four months apart, the couple found their way back together.
Speaking to Closer about their reunion, Tina said: “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.
“We were either arguing, bickering or not talking at all, I’d end up putting Flame to bed and falling asleep next to her.
“Paul and I had always had a great sex life but were barely touching each other. At one point, we didn’t have sex for five months.”
Tragic death
The pair were happy together until the shock news today that Paul had passed away.
Grief-stricken Tina wrote on X: “It’s with total heartbreak I write this my husband Paul chase Malone passed away this morning we are totally devastated.”
The post was flooded with messages of support and well-wishes from stunned fans.
“So sorry to hear this Tina sending my love to you and your family,” posted one.
“I’m so so sorry, Tina. I’m so sorry for your loss. I was in the army with Paul, top man,” wrote another.