Shona McGarty has spoken publicly for the first time about her relationship with former EastEnders co-star Tony Discipline, saying she always felt he was the one for her.
The actress, 34, told The Sun she has had a soft spot for Tony for years and has never felt so cared for. Tony, now 37, left acting after his time on EastEnders and became a firefighter.
McGarty said she and Tony have known each other for 15 years after meeting on the soap, where they played couple Whitney Dean and Tyler Moon. Tony left the show in 2013 after two years, while McGarty departed in 2024.
She said the relationship is moving quickly but that their long friendship gives it a solid foundation. She described Tony as an old-school gentleman who takes her on lovely dates and treats her like a lady, adding that she feels she has got her feminine energy back.
The news comes after McGarty ended her engagement to Irish guitarist David Bracken last November, just over a year after he proposed at Holland Park in London. The two had met in 2023 after Bracken messaged her on TikTok. They mutually called off the engagement before McGarty appeared on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! last November.
McGarty and Tony confirmed their romance last month by posting matching tattoos on Instagram. The tattoos appeared to show a toaster with bread alongside a pineapple and palm tree. Tony also shared holiday photos with McGarty, captioning the post "Little trip away with Mi Amor." McGarty commented on the post writing "Tu Y Yo," which translates to You and Me in Spanish.
The pair had sparked speculation weeks earlier when they appeared together at the Women's Football Awards in May, with fans asking on social media whether they were soft-launching a romance.
A source told The Sun they are two people having fun getting to know each other and have not put a label on the relationship. The source added that McGarty wants to take things slowly and enjoy her time with Tony rather than have it scrutinised on social media.
