Nick’s time in Weatherfield is over
AS HE SAYS GOODBYE TO WEATHERFIELD AND NICK TILSLEY, BEN PRICE TELLS US WHY THIS MOVE IS SO IMPORTANT FOR HIS YOUNG FAMILY…
When Ben Price was revealed to be the new face of classic
Corrie character Nick Tilsley back in 2009, he knew he had a big job on his hands. The last time the audience had seen Gail’s eldest son, he was played by 90s hunk Adam Rickitt, and Ben needed to convince viewers that he was the same Nick they all knew and loved.
Over the past seven or so years, Ben and the audience have been on a heck of a journey with the himbo-turnedruthless businessman. But after brain injuries, family feuds, love triangles and violence, Nick is leaving again – and it’s a bittersweet moment for Ben.
“Do you remember, I came into the show with Michelle Keegan [who played Tina Mcintyre]? That was a great start!” laughs the star. “Mind you, my biggest highlight was filming that first Corrie Christmas with Jack P Shepherd [David], Helen Worth [Gail] and Sue Nicholls [Audrey], and realising I was part of the Platt family. When you come in as a member of a big Corrie family like that, you already have a unit to work with.”
Although Ben was welcomed into the bosom of the Platt clan, his job meant spending lots of time away from his wife Alexandra and their children, Paloma and Maximilian. So, it’s no wonder he feels ready to return to his real home.
“I live a couple of hundred miles away from Manchester, so the decision to go was based on wanting to spend more time with my wife and kids,” admits Ben. “I’ve agonised over it as I’ve had the best time of my career here, the best storylines and the best on-screen family. It’s tough to leave that behind, but I’ve made this decision for the sake of my children – I need to go and see them more. It’s a life choice, really.”
This week, Nick’s fragile romance with fiancée Leanne implodes, and he’s left fighting for his life when he gets trapped in quicksand (see p10). Filming of the scenes took place on location, and it’s a very dramatic way to go out. But while he loved all the bells and whistles of such a big exit, Ben says that this departure is all about the emotions.
“It’s a very different kind of exit storyline,” he grins. “What pains Nick deep down is that his enemies Steve and Peter aren’t as nasty as he can be. While he’s flailing in the quicksand, they try to rescue him, but would Nick do the same for them? When Nick is pushed, he has the propensity to be more cutting and hurtful. He’s a calculating man.”
We’ve certainly seen the dark side of Nick over the past few years, not least when he became violent towards
I’ve had the best time of my career on Coronation Street Kate White
Leanne. That violence was sparked by the brain injury Nick sustained after his brother David took revenge on him for sleeping with Kylie. The story of Nick learning to live with his injuries was compelling, and Ben got stuck right in.
“It was important for me to try to help make a difference with that story, and I’m still very much involved with the charity Headway,” explains the actor. “With a show as big as Corrie, you can open a window on someone’s life that other people might not understand, and demonstrate that there is help out there. If I were to offer anyone joining the show some advice, it would be that you need to understand that being on the Street is more than just an acting job in that sense. A big story like Nick’s brain injury makes you realise just how many people watch this show.”
Nick’s goodbye will be captivating stuff for all those viewers who’ve seen the character evolve over the years. But Ben says that while he’ll miss his Corrie family, he won’t miss Nick much at all. “I feel as if I’ve done all I can with Nick,” he shares. “I’ve been in more than a thousand episodes and had a lot of big stories. It’s as if I’ve come to a natural end, and it’s time to say, ‘Thank you, that was amazing’. It will be great to drive down that motorway to see my children and know I don’t have to leave them again just two days later.”