Coronation Street Blog: Interview: Nick Tilsley's Back - To Save the Day or Bring More Drama?

Friday's Coronation Street saw the return of Nick Tilsey, sitting by Leanne's bedside after she was hospitalised at the hands of gangster Ronan. Actor Ben Price sat down with bloggers Stevie and Sophie and reveals Nick's apprehension at returning to his family and teases a secret Nick might be hiding...

Before we got started a very enthusiastic Ben noticed the press pack for us Bloggers and journalists and on it was a photo of all the main characters in the big Secret’s Unleashed week…

“Its quite a good picture isn’t it! Moody! Look at Gregson there right at the front. He won’t have a clue what this photo’s for…”

How’s life back on the cobbles?

Great, amazing, lovely.

Like you never left?

Yep. What’s so interesting is that I come back and everyone’s had these lives, stuff’s gone on. Nick pretty quickly starts to come to a realisation that he’s missed out on some pretty big things. So in one way very easy to come back, very lovely – crazy for Ben! In another way very difficult for Nick to piece together everything that’s happened with his family…and Leanne. We all get a older, we all get a bit more damaged.

Now he’s back will he help fix the family?

I don’t know if he can. I don’t know whether it’s too late. Family is everything to Nick. If he’d have known more about what was going on, he doesn’t do things by halves he’d have been back. The Street is like a magnet to Nick. You get away for a little bit on a little elastic band but in the end you’ve got to come back. That’s the way it works, you’ve got to come back to your mum, your gran, your wife…or WIVES, and back to your brother.

So what state is he in when he comes back to the Street?

Really confused. There’s a lot gone on. He’s had a whole other life and that’s a story coming up. He comes back with a big secret. He comes back differently. Slightly edgier.

Nick has come back primarily for Leanne…is that a sign that something will happen between them, or is it just for practical reasons?

Yeah, I think so. I (Nick) went away, I was very damaged when I went. Two marriages had failed, child not mine. When the crazy overtakes too much, you’ve got to get out. And the crazy had overtaken him. But he’s got a long road back.

When he found out Leanne was in hospital, did he hesitate or go straight there?

Oh I think straight away. You’ve got to believe that despite everything going on in his head, he just comes back. It’s Coronation Street – it’s him.

Will there be a happy ever-after for Nick and Leanne?

Well it’s a soap isn’t it! There’s drama in it NOT working. I would like it to happen, but I’m not sure.

And we’ll see more Nick versus Peter?

Yeah! The very first day me and (Chris) Gascoyne went at it. He hates me! But because we really get on, it allows us to hate each other that much better on screen.

Will we see Simon rely on Nick a bit now he’s back?

Yes. I think because he’s not my child, Nick relates to Simon as – what would he say to a mate. Rather than - you’re amazing son. You out a character like David and a character like Simon to try and anchor them. But where’s Nick’s anchor? And he looks to his mum and his gran.

The new part of the Corrie set has opened since you left. What do you think of it?

What that weird bit down at the end? They’ve done a great job! It doesn’t take long to get used to it but a Costa? A Co-Op? A tram stop? It has to develop. You need more places to film. I remember when they built the “posh” houses on the other side of the street. People weren’t happy. But suddenly it becomes part of it.

How was it sitting at home seeing what your on-screen family were going through?

I spoke to Jack (P.Shepherd) every day! With his recent story I was very pleased for him. I think he did brilliantly.

@StevieDawson