Nick Tilsley in Coronation Street is cobbles royalty!
He’s the son of Gail Rodwell (who was once Gail Tilsley) and Brian Tilsley, grandson of Street icons Audrey Roberts and Ivy Tilsley, and two-times ex-husband and current partner of Leanne Battersby.
He’s the brother of David Platt and Sarah Barlow, and he’s also dad to Sam Blakeman.
So what’s Nick’s story?
Who plays Nick Tilsley in Coronation Street?
Nick has been played by actor Ben Price since 2009.
Ben was already a familiar face to viewers having been seen in Footballers’ Wives,Wire in the Blood, Casualty and The Tudors.
He took over the role from Adam Rickitt who’d played Nick until 2005. Adam was in Coronation Street from 1997 to 1999, and then again from 2002 until 2004.
Adam had been a model before he joined Corrie and he was very popular with the show’s younger viewers. He got a lot of attention when Nick was kissed by his sister Sarah’s boyfriend Todd Grimshaw in the show’s first same-sex embrace.
After Adam left Coronation Street, he briefly dabbled with a pop career, as well as spending time in New Zealand starring in Shortland Street.
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When he returned to the UK, he joined Hollyoaks as Kyle Kelly. He left in 2020, when Kyle took his own life.
Adam wasn’t the first person to play Nick either. The first actor to take the role, Warren Jackson, played Nick from 1981 until 1996. He struggled after being replaced and left acting.
Nick’s early years
Nick was born on New Year’s Eve 1980. When his dad Brian was murdered in 1989, Nick began behaving badly. But stepdad Martin Platt took him under his wing and Nick even changed his name to Platt – much to gran Ivy’s fury!
When Ivy died, she left her house to Nick, on condition he changed his name back to Tilsley. Crafty Ivy!
Nick was a bit of a tearaway though, and eventually Gail sent him to Canada to live with her brother Stephen.
Nick’s return
When Nick came home from Canada, he was still causing trouble! He fell in love with fellow teen tearaway Leanne Battersby and the pair eloped, horrifying Gail, who didn’t approve of their romance.
But their marriage fell apart when Leanne got pregnant and Nick convinced her to have an abortion. When Leanne found out Nick had been telling everyone she had a miscarriage she broke off their relationship and Nick went back to Canada.
Back again
Nick came home once more for his mum Gail’s wedding to serial killer Richard Hillman.
He and Maria got together and planned to go back to Canada together. In fact, they did make it across the Atlantic for a little while but Maria soon came home again – alone.
This time when Nick came back to Weatherfield, he stayed. He got friendly with Todd Grimshaw – who kissed him when he was struggling with his sexuality – and got back together with Maria. But he couldn’t resist old flame Leanne and when Maria found out, Nick left to live in Nottingham.
New Nick! Old flames!
All new Nick Tilsley came to Weatherfield on Christmas Day 2009. He was now played by Ben Price so he looked different. Ben’s also eight years older than Nick, so his alter ego seemed to have aged while he was away.
And most importantly, Nick was now serious and business-minded and determined to make his mark on Coronation Street.
He started a romance with Carla Connor, opened a restaurant called The Joinery and tried to resist old flame Leanne Battersby – who was dating Peter Barlow.
Nick, Leanne and Kylie
Leanne and Nick started an affair but when Peter was injured in the tram crash, he and Leanne got married.
But Peter had an affair with Carla, and he and Leanne split up. Nick and Leanne got back together and started planning their second wedding.
On the big day, though, Leanne went to see Peter who’d declared his love. When Nick found out he jilted his bride at the altar. He had a heart to heart with sister-in-law Kylie Platt and the pair slept together.
When Nick and Leanne got back together just a few weeks later – and tied the knot – Kylie found out she was pregnant.
David V Nick
When David found out his wife had slept with his brother he was understandably furious. The feud that followed left Nick with brain damage after a car accident and ended his marriage to Leanne.
More on again, off again
Another disastrous wedding followed when Nick and Carla got engaged, only to break up when Nick found out she’d slept with Robert Preston.
Nick and Leanne got back together and she got pregnant but she later admitted the baby was Steve McDonald’s. Nick struggled to accept the situation and left Weatherfield.
Nick and Leanne again
When he returned a year or so later, Nick and Leanne were reunited and they became a family with little Oliver.
Nick was heartbroken when Oliver died. But he bumped into old flame Natasha Blakeman and discovered he had a son – Sam.
Nick and Sam got to know each other, with grieving Leanne eventually growing to enjoy the lad’s company.
And when Natasha was murdered by drug lord Harvey Gaskell, Sam went to live with Nick and Leanne.
After a bumpy start, and Sam refusing to speak for a while, the family seem to be settling down. But are there good things in store for Nick Tilsley? Watch this space!
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Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm for an hour.
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