Coronation Street star Ben Price has been reflecting on his portrayal of Nick Tilsley as he approaches a significant milestone in the long-running ITV soap opera.
Early Career and Soap Beginnings
The actor, originally from Birmingham but raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, attended Gosforth East Middle School and Gosforth High School before taking acting classes at Live Theatre. He began his professional career at Manchester Royal Exchange and later performed at venues including the Bush in London, the Gate in Dublin, and Sheffield Crucible.
Price made his television debut in a 1996 episode of Casualty, followed by guest roles in Soldier Soldier, Heartbeat, and Peak Practice. Interestingly, Coronation Street was not his first soap role.
Home and Away Appearance
In 1998, he played Geoff Burns in Home and Away, appearing in the first-ever episode of the Australian soap filmed in the UK. The episode, set in Ironbridge, Shropshire, featured Price as the son of Bill Burns, who showed Irene Roberts around the village during her overseas trip.
After roles in Wire in the Blood and Footballers' Wives, where he played Conrad Gates, captain of Earl's Park football team, Price returned to Casualty as corporate director Nathan Spencer from 2005 to 2007.
Joining Coronation Street
Price took over the role of Nick Tilsley from Adam Rickitt in 2009. He began filming in October 2009 and first appeared on screen in December of that year when Nick moved back to Weatherfield. In early 2017, it was announced he would leave the role, but 15 months later, in April 2018, it was confirmed he would return to the cobbles after a year away.
15-Year Milestone
Soon, Price will mark 15 years since his debut as Nick. Speaking about the milestone and Nick's development, he said: "It's been amazing. I think what I've been very lucky with is that everyone around me has grown up with me. Jack, with David, has developed as an actor and as a character."
He added: "Everything that happened, and Kylie, and the children, and Shona, and the same with Jane as Leanne. All the Platts. I've been very, very lucky that Nick has been able to grow in those 15 years into different stories. I'm playing different stories than I did in 2009 or 2010."
"We've moved on, and yet the stories continue. I have my own family, and what does that bring? The business goes up and down, and my mum leaves, and what does that mean for the family? I think what's incredible is, you get a character that the writers seem to want to write the next stage for you. And that is what's so exciting."
"It genuinely feels like you're playing the full book. You're going right through the book. You've started, you've got a bit of a middle now. You're pushing through the book, and that's exciting. He's not the same Nick he was, and I'm not the same Ben, which is great. I think that's how it should be."
