Actor Adam Rickitt reconciled with his estranged father after he lost everything, years after the man spent Rickitt’s earnings from his 1990s fame.

Former Coronation Street actor Adam Rickitt says his late father, an alcoholic former merchant banker, repeatedly took his earnings from his 1990s acting and pop career, leading to a 15-year estrangement. Rickitt, who rose to fame playing Nick Tilsley and had a UK top-five hit with "I Breathe Again" in 1999, claimed the money was spent on drinks and friends, not repaid, and that he only reconciled after his father lost his home and fell into poverty. He said he now understands his father’s actions stemmed from fear and trauma, not malice, though their relationship was never fully repaired. Rickitt is now returning to music after more than two decades, following a new record deal.