Rev Tina Turner takes over the reigns at St Mark’s Church in Longwood

Feb 19 2010 By Andrew Hirst

Tina knows what love’s got to do with it

ROCK star Tina Turner may have retired from touring – but not her namesake who is now appearing in Longwood.

And the diva may have posed the question What’s Love Got To Do With It? which has been answered by none other than ... the Rev Tina Turner.

For she is now temporary priest at St Mark’s Church in Longwood and her sermon has focussed exclusively on the power of love.

Both Tinas celebrate their birthdays in November and 49-year-old Rev Tina Turner got her famous name right at the height of the rock star’s 1980s solo fame.

The Rev Turner said: “I was Tina Machin until I married Kevin Turner in 1985 and became Tina Turner.

“Tina Turner’s had just had her major comeback, but I thought it would only last for a short time and all the jokes about my name would disappear.

“But her fame has just gone on and on. I’ve hard all the jokes now – many times. I always get Simply The Best written on mother’s day cards!’’

Tina is a counsellor for ChildLIne in Leeds and said: “When I go out to give talks to young children, even they know who Tina Turner is.’’

She said she went to a Tina Turner concert in Sheffield in the mid 1980s and asked if she could go backstage to meet her namesake – but was not allowed.

Yet Kevin told other fans he was with Tina Turner – and some got her autograph so they could go home and joke they had Tina Turner’s moniker.