that the baby's Tony's". She went on to add that Mercedes would keep the baby herself but because it is Tony's baby and because of "all the baggage that comes with that" Mercedes decides to terminate the pregnancy. Metcalfe revealed that if Jacqui discovered Tony is the father of the baby Mercedes terminated then she would "go a bit psycho". In one storyline Jacqui's sister Tina McQueen (Leah Hackett) agrees to be a surrogate mother for her child. The storyline was included to help house many lies and secrets that had previously been built up prior, including Tony's affair with Mercedes and Tina's affair with Russ Owen (Stuart Manning), of which series producer Bryan Kirkwood stated there was "there's so much ammunition in store", which would eventually devastate Jacqui and Tony. Kirkwood also devised the plot to show of Pickard's skills in playing tragedy, of this he commented: "It'll also give Claire Cooper and Nick Pickard another opportunity to show off their acting talents. Tony and Jacqui are one of those couples that we can have fun with - but also will blow the audience away when dealing with tragedy". Pickard felt the relationship ended because "There have been so many lies and so much deceit throughout their relationship that I think Tony and Jacqui have reached burn-out as a couple. I think he still loves her. That hasn't just gone away". Tony meets Theresa McQueen (Jorgie Porter) on a night out at The Loft. Tony, unaware Theresa is fifteen years old and Jacqui's cousin, has sex with Theresa. Pickard said that upon Jacqui discovering Tony's one-night stand with Theresa she "storms round and starts thwacking him, screaming he's slept with her 15-year-old cousin! What's worse is that Theresa is making out Tony practically raped her". Pickard explained that Theresa wants a relationship with Tony but Tony tells her a relationship won't happen. Pickard explained that Tony is arrested and "his life goes into freefall". Pickard went on to say that if "he's found guilty then he'll probably have to do time. If he's let off, I think the best thing would be for him to go away for a while to sort himself out". In a later storyline Tony announces his intentions to marry Cindy Cunningham (Stephanie Waring), prompting Jacqui to try and talk Tony out of it. Cooper has stated that she believes that her character is meant