CHEERS TO THAT
Coronation Street star reveals he’s turning DOWN acting jobs for six day a week ‘side hustle’ outside fame – & loves it
The TV star has recently spoken openly about his mental health
CORONATION Street star Adam Rickitt has revealed that he's turning down acting jobs after his "side hustle" took off.
Adam - who owns Dexter and Jones gin bar in Cheshire, Knutsford -celebrated their fifth anniversary behind the bar.
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The actor, who played Nick Tilsley from 1997 to 1999 and then from 2002 to 2004, bought the boozer with his wife and presenter Katy Fawcett in 2019 as a "passion project".
Adam, 46, now works there six days a week and admitted it drives his agent mad when he turns down TV work.
“I love acting. I’m always going to act but I was sick of doing rubbish jobs I didn’t want to do,” Adam told Knutsford Guardian.
“It was the same thing for Katy. She loved doing the news but she didn’t like how tired it made her when she was doing it 24/7.
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"So our shared dream was to take over Dexter & Jones and to find that balance.”
But it hasn't all been plain sailing after the couple were forced to close their pub back in 2021 during the Covid lockdown.
Adam shot to fame as something of a heartthrob during his time on the ITV soap.
He left Corrie the first time in '99 to start a music career signing a six-album deal with Polydor although he only released one album Good Times.
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His first single Breathe again went to number five but the album only got to 41 in the charts and Adam was subsequently dropped.
Adam also dabbled with a career in politics signing up with the Conservative party in 2005.
Coronation Street legend Adam Rickitt is back at his normal job - hauling barrels at his bar
He was approved as a prospective parliamentary candidate - appearing on Question Time in 2006 - but didn't find a seat to stand in.
In 2010 he even covered the Conservative party conference for ITV television programme Daybreak.
In 2014 he joined the pop group 5th Story on The Big Reunion before taking up as Kyle Kelly in Hollyoaks in 2017 until his character's heartbreaking suicide in the soap.
Since leaving Hollyoaks he has been busy producing his own gin with Good Morning Britain reporter Katy, 36, whom he married in 2014.
In 2020 Adam revealed he had Ankylosing Spondylitis and the autoimmune disease has left him infertile.
He revealed his sperm count has been hugely affected by the chronic inflammatory disease that can cause vertabrae to fuse together.
Adam's diagnosis came when he and Katy first got together in 2011.
The actor said people can be "brainwashed" into wanting kids, but he and Katy are content with their three dogs.
During filming of his last episodes on Hollyoaks last year, Adam revealed he was suicidal for 17 years.
He said: "It's quite out there in the public forum that I had issues with an eating disorder but what I don't think I have spoken about is my issues prior to that.
"For 17 years of my life I was essentially suicidal.
"It comes in peaks and waves but a great proportion of my adult life I did spend suicidal."
You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, , 0800 585 858
- Heads Together,
- HUMEN
- Mind, , 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus,, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans,, 116 123
Adam told the Loose Women panel that his problems with mental health started age 13 and it was a long road to his recovery aged 30.
“When I first heard about the storyline, I was excited as an actor to be able to portray such a dramatic journey, and pride that the team had entrusted me to do it.
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"There was also a sense of personal fear. Like all too many I had to walk a similar path in my lifetime and the idea of revisiting that, even in the world of fiction, was slightly daunting.
"As sad as I am to say goodbye to Kyle, I have loved being a part of Hollyoaks. It's been a fantastic show to work on."
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