Adam Rickitt

Adam Rickitt – Life, Career, and Notable Moments

Discover the biography of Adam Rickitt — British actor and singer known for Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, his music career, personal struggles, and public life.

Introduction

Adam Peter Rickitt (born 29 May 1978) is a British actor, singer, former model, and occasional public figure. He gained recognition first through his role in the long-running British soap Coronation Street, before branching into music, theatre, international soaps, and later returning to television roles. His journey includes both triumphs and challenges—he’s spoken openly about personal health struggles, reinvention, and evolving public identity.

Early Life and Family

Rickitt was born in Crewe, Cheshire, England on 29 May 1978.
He is the youngest of four brothers (Sam, Tim, Mark, and himself) and grew up in Cuddington, Eddisbury.
His father worked part-time in estate agency ownership.

He attended Sedbergh School, a boarding school in Cumbria.
During his teenage years, Rickitt openly struggled with bulimia. He has discussed how male sufferers of eating disorders are often underrecognized, and his own journey to recovery.

Education and Early Career

Rickitt left formal schooling and began working as a model, doing underwear catalog shoots and other modeling work, before transitioning into acting.
His early modeling provided a platform, but his ambitions lay in acting and entertainment.

Acting Career

Coronation Street and Breakthrough

In 1997, Rickitt auditioned for and was cast as Nick Tilsley on Coronation Street (ITV).
He played that role from 1997 to 1999, and then reprised it from 2002 to 2004.
One noteworthy storyline was a gay kiss with character Todd Grimshaw—Coronation Street’s first same-sex kiss—adding both visibility and attention.

Rickitt’s time on Coronation Street made him a recognizable face in British television and lent him appeal among younger viewers.

Theatre & Other Acting Roles

While pursuing his acting career, Rickitt took on stage roles. He portrayed Mark Cohen in a UK tour of Rent.
He also appeared in productions such as Office Games, Final Judgment, and Telstar (on UK tours).

In 2001, he guest-starred in Doctors and appeared in Judge John Deed.

International Soaps & Later TV

From 2007 to 2010, Rickitt starred in the New Zealand soap Shortland Street, playing Kieran Mitchell.
His tenure involved dramatic storylines: his character had hidden secrets, a brain tumour, memory loss, and a criminal past.

Later, Rickitt joined Hollyoaks (Channel 4) as Kyle Kelly, from 2017 to 2020.
His exit from Hollyoaks was dramatic—the character died by suicide, a storyline which drew attention to mental health and its representation in television.

In December 2023, Rickitt returned to Doctors as a guest, portraying Michael Harvey.

Music Career

In 1999, Rickitt signed a six-album deal with Polydor Records.
However, he released only one album, Good Times, on 18 October 1999.

From this album came three singles:

• “I Breathe Again” — his biggest hit, reaching #5 on the UK Singles Chart.

• “Everything My Heart Desires” — peaked at #15.

• “The Best Thing” — peaked at #25.

The album itself peaked at #41 on the UK Albums Chart.

Despite the early promise, the commercial success was limited, and Rickitt’s music contract was not extended.

Later, in 2014, he joined the supergroup 5th Story as part of the ITV reality show The Big Reunion, reuniting 1990s-era pop artists.

Public Life, Personal Challenges & Advocacy

Health & Personal Struggles

Rickitt has ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the spine, which he has said has impacted his health and fertility.
He has said that the condition left him with a very low sperm count, effectively making him infertile.

He has also been candid about his earlier struggle with bulimia, especially as a teenage boy—an aspect of his life that has motivated him to speak out about male eating disorders.

Political Engagement

In 2005, Rickitt was approved as a prospective parliamentary candidate for the Conservative Party.
He appeared on Question Time in 2006 as a non-partisan guest and was included in the Conservative “A-list” of would-be candidates.
However, political advancement did not follow; he later distanced himself from the party and criticized its positions.

Legal Incidents & Public Stances

In 2007, Rickitt was arrested in Auckland, New Zealand, and charged with shoplifting a block of cheese, a bottle of HP sauce, and a jar of coffee beans. He later claimed it was an honest mistake, noting intoxication as a factor.
In August 2020, he was involved in a minor drink-drive incident—he drove 600 metres to pick up a takeaway while under the influence.

Rickitt also worked in charitable roles: for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) as a capital appeals manager, and later with Help Harry Help Others (a cancer charity) and the Caerus Partnership, a mental health foundation.

Marriage & Business Ventures

In December 2014, Rickitt married Katy Fawcett, a presenter on Good Morning Britain.

In 2019, the couple took over a craft bottle shop and micro-bar called Dexter & Jones in Knutsford, Cheshire.
Rickitt has often been photographed actively working in the business, lifting stock, engaging with customers, and managing operations.

They also purchased a holiday home in Sicily, apparently planning to spend more time there.

Public Perception & Impact

Rickitt’s public journey is one of reinvention and transparency. He moved from soap-actor heartthrob to pop singer, then to international soap roles, and later embraced business and advocacy.

He has been appreciated by fans for his openness about mental health, eating disorders, and chronic illness—topics still often stigmatized, especially for men in public life.

His career also illustrates the challenges of shifting between different entertainment sectors: the high expectations of crossover success (acting to music), and managing public image over decades.

Selected Quotes & Public Remarks

While Rickitt is not widely known for pithy “author quotations,” here are a few things he has said publicly that capture his mindset:

• On his health: “I’m mindful of every day—I know that spine disease doesn’t wait for anything.” (paraphrase from interviews)

• On his music video: For I Breathe Again, he once remarked that the director asked him to appear “starkers” (naked) in shots and he agreed, noting he “wasn’t getting off the floor for anything after that.”

• On male eating disorders: He has said that male sufferers are “largely neglected”—that the public often assumes eating disorders only affect women.

Lessons & Reflections

1. Vulnerability can foster connection
   By speaking openly about personal struggles—eating disorders, chronic disease, fertility—Rickitt breaks down taboos and humanizes the celebrity persona.

2. Reinvention is a long game
   His shifts from acting to singing, to international roles, to business show that public careers often demand adaptation and resilience.

3. Success is not linear
   The early promise of his music career did not guarantee long-term musical fame; but he returned to his roots—acting—and found new paths.

4. Public life carries consequences
   His legal mishaps, political ambitions, and business ventures all illustrate how public figures must carry the weight of scrutiny.

Conclusion

Adam Rickitt’s story is multifaceted. He began as a soap actor, ventured into music, explored theatre and international roles, and later turned entrepreneur—all while being candid about health, identity, and personal challenges.

Though not as globally celebrated as some actors, he occupies a unique space in British pop culture—a figure who has navigated highs and lows, and continues to evolve.