Adam Rickitt
“I want to work my way around the world doing soaps!”
My aim is to work my way around the entire world doing soaps!” declares former cobbles actor Adam Rickitt, as we sit down for a chat with him about his new role in Hollyoaks.
The star has already notched up a threeyear stint Down Under in Shortland
Street, as well as playing Weatherfield’s Nick Tilsley back in the late 90s – before actor Ben Price took over the role.
But Adam doesn’t plan to stop there. “I’ve done soaps in England and New Zealand, so I reckon I’ve got to go and do a really trashy American one next!” he chuckles. “I was actually offered a part in Neighbours once, but I was in
New Zealand and there’s a massive rivalry between them and Australia
– so I couldn’t desert my Kiwi pals.” For now though, Adam’s main focus is his new role in Hollyoaks – and as he tells us, his character Kyle is set to cause quite a stir…
How did the part in Hollyoaks come about for you, Adam?
I’d been in to read for some other characters in the past, and it had got down to the wire – but either I wasn’t quite who they wanted, or I was doing something else and couldn’t commit. So I’d been tantalisingly close to joining the show for many years! But then the part of Kyle came up, and I got the gig.
What can you tell us about Kyle?
He’s got a lot of skeletons in his closet – the audience will be surprised! When he turns up, people will think they know who he is and what’s going to happen, but they’re going to get the rug pulled out from under their feet every single time. Kyle has always been the life and soul of the party, but being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis has really knocked him for six.
We meet him at a MS support group with Nancy – what’s their history?
They were childhood sweethearts, but that all happened off screen many years ago. When they meet again, it’s clear they still mean a lot to each other. From Nancy’s point of view, she has a family who adore and support her, but
none of them know what she’s going through. Suddenly there’s somebody who understands it 100 per cent, who gets all of her fears and emotions.
So might Kyle cause ructions in Nancy and Darren’s marriage?
He could do – but I think what’s more interesting than the relationship between Kyle and Nancy is the relationship between Kyle and Darren. You know that if these two characters had met in any other way, they would be mates – they click straight away, and there’s lots of banter. But because of Nancy, there’s tension between them.
How does working on Hollyoaks compare to being in Coronation Street and Shortland Street?
It’s very different. Shortland Street films a lot quicker as it’s all done on the sets inside the studio, whereas at Hollyoaks, most of it is filmed on location in the village, which makes it more realistic. If they need to film a scene in an Indian takeaway, they’ll just build one!
It sounds as if you’re really enjoying life on Hollyoaks...
I am, it’s just so much fun. My brother actually worked behind the scenes on the show for a couple of years, and he said that the line between cast and crew is non-existent – which is true. If somebody has a party, whether it’s cast or crew, everyone is always invited and they all go along. It’s amazing.
And who have you been hanging out with from the set?
I already knew Duncan James [aka Ryan] from doing The Big Reunion live tour together, and I’ve known Steph Waring [who plays Cindy] for years. But I have to say that working with Jess Fox and Ashley Taylor Dawson, who play Nancy and Darren, has been amazing – they’ve got a great little double act going on, and it’s a joy to watch. They make working here so much fun!