Coronation Street’s Adam Rickitt opened up about his troubled relationship with his late father, who he fell out with for 15 years after he stole his money

Adam Rickitt has opened up about his relationship with his late dad (Image: ITV)

Former Coronation Street star Adam Rickitt has spoken frankly about his late father with whom he endured a 15-year estrangement after he misappropriated his earnings.

Adam portrayed Nick Tilsley on the ITV soap, first appearing in 1997, and it’s safe to say he quickly won over viewers.

He departed the programme in 1999 to launch a music career but made a comeback to the cobbles for a two-year period from 2002 to 2004.

Following his departure, Adam has remained active, featuring in programmes including Hollyoaks and BBC’s Doctors. Yet, during a recent appearance on Channel 5’s Vanessa, Adam spoke openly about his relationship with his late father, disclosing he “blew all of his money”.

He said: ‘You Google Adam Rickett Networth, it comes up with a figure. It’s not that figure because he stole all my money, And he did it three times,” reports the Mirror.

Adam played Nick Tilsley in Corrie (Image: ITV)

He added: “So even though I was 18 years old and Corrie and doing the pop music and money was coming in, it kept just going to him and he kept losing it.

“And then when he made money, because my dad was a very successful merchant banker and he was pulling in millions of pounds a year himself, but he was also a flaming alcoholic.”

Presenter Vanessa Feltz subsequently enquired whether his father was still alive, to which he confirmed he wasn’t, before stating: “It’s not like it’s a shock news to anyone anyway.”

Adam went on: “But yeah, so I kept lending him money, he kept wasting it, but then he would make money and rather than paying me back, he’d go and spend it on his friends. He’d never spend it on his family or pay me back.

“So we ended up falling out for 15 years and we only reconnected when he went from earning millions of pounds to living on a state pension and penniless, having his home repossessed because he had nothing to prove anymore, because he couldn’t prove anything anymore.”

Adam made his Corrie debut in 1997 (Image: Granada Television)

“And I would say it healed.It was never repaired. And I think when you have a big rift, like the Brooklyn and David Beckham situation, I think they will reconnect. I don’t think it’ll ever be the same relationship they had before. Mine with my father certainly wasn’t.”

Vanessa then enquired: “Did you want to reconnect with him?” Adam responded: “For a long time, no.”

The presenter pressed him: “I would wonder why you did, because it sounds as if he played fast and loose with your money in an incredibly selfish and kind of toxic, narcissistic, unpleasant kind of a way.”

Adam left the ITV soap opera back in 2004 and the character is now played by Ben Price (Image: ITV)

When asked why he wanted to reconnect with his father, Adam clarified: “Because at some point you realise he’s still a human being.

“I think when you have a parent, they’re your parents and they’re meant to be some almost, you know, godlike idol who are meant to be perfect.

“And then he realised the only way his family ever needed him was when he paid for everything for them.When I went out at 18 years old and became financially independent, he was petrified because he couldn’t have any control on me. So he purposely blew all my money.”

Vanessa enquired: “Did you have to have loads of therapy to find out that or did you just work that out yourself?

Adam responded: “No, I just worked it out to myself. When you finally saw him as a human being and realised he wasn’t doing it because he hated me.

“He wasn’t doing it because he wanted to ruin my life. He was doing it because he was a petrified little boy. He was still the four-year-old boy.”