TWO months ago, 20-year-old Michelle Keegan joined Coronation Street (ITV1, tonight, 7.30pm) as Tina McIntyre, the new girlfriend of David Platt.

This is her first acting job, and the young brunette is still in a state of shock.

"It's just unbelievable, overwhelming," she gushes. "I really, really love it. I couldn't believe it when I first walked on to the cobbles. It's weird. It feels like I've stepped into a TV screen.

"I saw William Roache walking down the corridor, and I didn't know what to do. I ended up just staring at him," she giggles. "I bet he thought, what a weird girl!"

For Michelle it's a dream start to her acting career. She'd previously been turned down for a part in Hollyoaks, which stars her boyfriend of two years, Anthony Quinlan (Gilly). But after three auditions for Corrie, she finally learned she'd been successful in a meeting with producer Steve Frost.

"We were talking and then he called the casting director in and said, `Right, I'm happy', and she said, `Congratulations, you've got the part of Tina!' I went numb. I could see Steve Frost talking but I couldn't hear what he was saying, I was just staring and thinking, `Oh.. my... God!'

"When I first walked on set there were 30 people and three cameras and I didn't expect it to look like that. I thought it would only be about five people and one camera.

"Everyone has helped me with direction, what camera to focus on and things like that, because at first I didn't know where to stand or anything, it was horrible. But it becomes second nature after a while."

Shop assistant

It was all very different this time last year when Michelle was working as a shop assistant on a make-up counter. She says her life has changed beyond all recognition in the last 12 months.

"I was working in Selfridges in the Trafford Centre," she reveals. "My life is completely different now. I still hang around with the same people, but I'm so much happier."

Now she's in millions of people's living rooms five times a week as Tina, a girl she describes as feisty and a bit of a social misfit.

"She's got a rebellious streak to her, especially if someone pushes her. You wouldn't want to mess with her!

"Her and David have got quite a lot in common and they see each other as best friends. She tells him everything and she trusts him. She likes the dark side in him because she's got one too. She likes the danger and the risk."

While that might make them seem like a match made in Hell for everybody on the Street, David's mum Gail has actually grown quite fond of her son's new squeeze.

"At first I don't think they liked each other, Tina was a bit stand-offish with Gail because she found her and David's relationship quite strange," says Michelle.

"But I think Gail has warmed to Tina because she's seen a change in David that she actually likes. He's been a normal teenager since he met Tina."

Pregnant

All that could be about to change. Tina has just found out that she is pregnant with David's child, and confided in Gail.

"She was actually very understanding," Michelle explains. "She's been there before, with Sarah-Lou. She was shocked, but she didn't scream or shout, she talked to her like an adult, which is what Tina needed."

After lengthy discussions, Gail and Tina decide that the best option is to have an abortion. The pair choose not to tell David. However, he is bound to find out sooner or later, but you will have to tune in to find out how he reacts.

Michelle is thrilled to have been given such a big storyline in her second month on the show, and says she's had great fun working with Jack P Shepherd, who plays her on-screen boyfriend.

She'd actually met him once before when she was working at an airport.

"I checked him and his girlfriend in to go away to America about two years ago, which is really strange. I didn't speak to him because I was too nervous," she laughs. "I remember thinking, Oh my God, it's that guy from Corrie!'

"We get on really well now. He's made it so much easier for me because he's so down to earth."

And there's no issue between him and her boyfriend, she says.

Because Anthony is an actor himself, she says he has no problems seeing her kissing Jack on screen.

"Oh no, he's fine about it, he's used to it," she laughs. "He's been in Hollyoaks for two years now so he understands what's going on. He realises it's a job and that nothing's going on in real life."