Former Coronation Street Star Adam Rickitt Reveals Father Stole His Fortune
Former Coronation Street actor Adam Rickitt has publicly disclosed that he lost the substantial wealth accumulated from his early television career, alleging that his alcoholic father systematically "stole" his money. The 47-year-old performer discussed his profoundly difficult relationship with his late father during a candid guest appearance on Vanessa Feltz's television programme.
A Career's Earnings Diverted
Adam Rickitt, who shot to fame in the late 1990s portraying Nick Tilsley on the enduring ITV soap opera, revealed that a significant portion of the money he earned at the peak of his career never remained in his personal bank account. "If you Google 'Adam Rickitt net worth', it comes up with a figure, it's not that figure because my dad stole all my money. And he did it three times," he elaborated during the emotional interview.
"So, even though I was 18 years old and did Corrie and did the pop music and money was coming in, it kept just going to him, and he kept losing it," Rickitt continued, painting a picture of financial exploitation during his youth.
Father's Downfall and Family Estrangement
The actor shared that his father had once been highly successful in the finance sector as a merchant banker, pulling in millions of pounds annually. However, a severe battle with alcoholism ultimately catalyzed the family's financial and emotional downfall. "My dad was a very successful merchant banker, he was pulling in millions of pounds a year himself. But, he was also a flaming alcoholic," Rickitt stated.
He described a toxic cycle: "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." This pattern led to a complete rupture in their relationship.
"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," Rickitt revealed, highlighting his father's dramatic decline.
A Fractured Reconciliation
When host Vanessa Feltz inquired if his father was still alive, Rickitt confirmed he is not, adding, "It's not like it's a shock news to anyone anyway." He reflected on their eventual, partial reconciliation: "And I would say it healed. It was never repaired."
Drawing a parallel to other public family rifts, he noted, "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."
Under questioning from Feltz about his motives for reconnecting, Rickitt explained he eventually came to understand his father's actions stemmed from deep personal trauma, not malice. "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," he said, indicating a perspective achieved without formal therapy.
New Beginnings in Music
These personal revelations emerge as the star prepares for a musical comeback, over two decades after his initial foray into pop music. The heartthrob launched his debut single "I Breathe Again" in 1999, which climbed to number five in the UK charts and featured a memorable music video. He subsequently released the album "Good Times", which peaked at number 41, before being dropped by his record label.
Now, Adam Rickitt has disclosed that he is back in the recording studio working on fresh material after securing a new record deal, signaling a professional renaissance alongside his process of personal reconciliation.
