Tony Discipline and Shona McGarty go public on London date
Former EastEnders stars Shona McGarty and Tony Discipline have confirmed their romance with an affectionate dinner date in London’s Covent Garden, where they were pictured kissing and holding hands. The news has become the talk of Elstree, with all eyes on Jacqueline Jossa, who dated Tony years ago.
Key Takeaways
- Shona McGarty and Tony Discipline went public with a romantic Covent Garden dinner at Italian restaurant VyTA.
- An onlooker said the pair “couldn’t keep their hands off each other” and looked “very much in love.”
- Friends say the former co-stars began flirty DMs earlier this year after both became single.
- EastEnders insiders say all eyes are on Jac Jossa, who dated Tony during their soap days.
- Pals hope the real-life romance is not “cursed” like their turbulent Whitney-Tyler storyline.
What happened on Shona McGarty and Tony Discipline’s date?
According to The Sun, the loved-up pair were pictured holding hands across the table and sharing passionate kisses at VyTA in Covent Garden.
After dinner, they strolled hand-in-hand, with Tony wrapping his arm around Shona as they smiled for photographers. Shona, 34, wore a blue and white dress; Tony, 37, opted for a casual shorts look.
“They couldn’t keep their hands off each other. They were like a pair of giggly teenagers and looked so very much in love,” an onlooker told The Sun.
Why are all eyes on Jac Jossa?
During EastEnders, Tony’s Tyler Moon bounced between Whitney Dean (Shona) and Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa). Off-screen, Tony and Jac dated for about 18 months before splitting in 2013 around the time he left the soap.
An Elstree insider said pictures of Shona and Tony became “all anyone could talk about,” adding: “All eyes were on Jac [Jossa] because she got there first.”
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How did the Tony Discipline romance start?
Pals say the former co-stars began exchanging flirty DMs earlier this year before meeting offline. They had been good friends for years with an attraction that never went further while both were in relationships.
“But after they both found themselves single, things began to heat up. They are taking things slowly and really enjoying each other’s company,” a friend said. “Shona is very happy. He’s a lovely guy, and all their mutual friends think they are a fantastic match.”
The Mirror reports the pair were first spotted looking smitten at last month’s Women’s Football Awards, then put on an amorous display at Lorraine Stanley’s birthday bash at Studio 338. Tony posted about the night with red heart emojis and wrote to Shona, “Good times girl.”
Who is Tony Discipline now?
Tony played Tyler Moon from 2011 to 2013 before quitting acting to join the London Fire Brigade. Shona played Whitney Dean from 2008 until leaving EastEnders in 2024 to focus on music; she finished third on I’m A Celebrity last December.
Friends insist there was nothing romantic with jungle campmate Aitch. “Tony, on the other hand, is all-man. He’s a down-to-earth hunky fireman,” a pal said. Insiders hope fiction does not become fact—and that Shona finally gets her fairytale ending.