Stephen Tompkinson, best known for his roles in Wild at Heart and Ballykissangel, is planning to propose to his girlfriend, Foreign Office diplomat Elaine Young, 39. The 46-year-old actor admitted he feels pressure to make the proposal spectacular after false reports claimed he had already proposed in a hot air balloon or married in Las Vegas.
Tompkinson said: “We read a report saying we’d got married in Las Vegas and a couple of others saying I’d proposed to Elaine while we were in a hot air balloon. It is something we want to do in the not too distant future. But after all of that, when I do pop the question, it’s going to have to be something pretty spectacular!”
The couple have moved to a new home in Surrey after Tompkinson spent time in Australia filming Stephen Tompkinson’s Australian Adventure. The actor is currently starring in the gritty new crime film Harrigan, based on the real-life experiences of former Newcastle detective Arthur McKenzie. The film secured £1.25 million in investment after Tompkinson signed on to play the lead.
Tompkinson has spoken openly about past struggles with alcohol, which he gave up more than six years ago, and his previous relationships. He was married to radio producer Celia de Wolff, engaged to Ballykissangel co-star Dervla Kirwan, and later married Nicci Taylor, with whom he has an 11-year-old daughter, Daisy. He maintains a close bond with Daisy despite the end of his marriage in 2006.
