'Coronation Street' Ben Price: 'Nick, Leanne marriage may not survive'
Nick Tilsley's marriage faces new challenges on Coronation Street next week as the impact of the brain injury he recently suffered continues to take its toll.
As Nick suffers memory lapses and continues to be short-tempered, his wife Leanne (Jane Danson) is disheartened and her hopes for normality quickly fade.
Here, Ben Price - who plays Nick - discusses the long journey ahead for his troubled character.
Does Nick feel responsible at all for the destruction of his family?
"I think Nick feels that David is entirely to blame. Nick certainly knows that he's not the easiest person to be around at the minute, but if it wasn't for David's actions, then they wouldn't all be in this state. David put Nick in this place. That's all Nick can see."
How would you say Nick is coping with his recovery?
"Outwardly Nick might seem as though he's doing okay. He's putting a brave face on and is determined to get back to normal. But inside, I really think Nick is struggling to come to terms with what's happened to him and how far it's set him back."
Is the support he's receiving from his family helping him?
"Nick is getting so frustrated with his mum. He's fed up of her fussing around him all the time. He feels as though he's being wrapped up in cotton wool by her. She's making it really difficult for him and he feels as though she's making it all ten times worse. Gail is a constant reminder that he has a long road to recovery."
Do you think Nick is trying to do too much too soon?
"Yes definitely. He's desperate to get back to normal and that's part of the problem. He wants his life back. It's all about the 'look'. Nick is desperate to look as though he's better - if he looks better, he might start to feel more himself again too. He just wants people to think he's coping."
How does Nick feel about David being out on the street when Tina kicks him out?
"I don't think he's happy about it at all, but not because David's on the street but because he's still hanging around Weatherfield. He wants David gone, he wants him to leave. He doesn't care where David is. Nick has well and truly had enough of him."
Next week, there's a problem when Nick should be meeting a wine supplier for the Bistro. What happens?
"The meeting with a wine supplier completely slips his mind, but I really didn't want to make too much of the memory lapses. It's not that his memory is going, it's more that he's struggling to contain everything that's going on in his head."
Nick also picks up Simon from school without telling anyone, which leads to a panic when Tina arrives to take him home and nobody knows where Simon is…
"Yes, but Nick doesn't see that there's anything wrong with that. He thinks that as an adult, it shouldn't be a problem. Before the accident, Nick used to pick Simon up all of the time so he can't see why now should be any different. He's completely overloading himself and that's why things like these meetings are slipping his mind.
"But this isn't the biggest part of Nick's injury. I was keen to make the anger and the mood swings a bigger part of it."
The good news is that Leanne has taken Nick back. How is he feeling about that?
"A mixture of emotions, really. There are clear problems between the two of them now that he can't escape. He's happy to have Leanne back, but then he also can't escape the thought that it's going to be difficult and that they have a long way to go to get things back to the way they were.
"I think he's grateful for Leanne being around, but he knows that what he did with Kylie is going to have to play out at some point. Nick's not stupid. He slept with his sister-in-law - at some point that's going to cause more problems along the way for him and Leanne. It might be okay between them for now, but at some point it's going to become very difficult for them to move forward."
Is Nick quite conscious that his injuries could have a huge impact on their marriage?
"He desperately doesn't want Leanne to be his mum. Nick does not want her to be his carer. But that's what she'll become if she carries on looking after him all of the time. It's not as easy as Leanne being back in his life and them being able to pick up where they left off. They've got complications to overcome. There's three in their relationship now - Leanne, Nick, and his injury."
Does Nick start to take his frustrations out on her?
"No, I don't think it's to do with Leanne as such - it's strange. The frustrations he has are all to do with himself. He sees Leanne as blameless. In terms of the injury, Leanne's trying her best, but Nick is so frustrated by it all. That's what he can't contain. Leanne's being so supportive and he knows that."
Could Leanne be at risk of seeing that other side to Nick, though?
"I do think there's a chance she's at risk - Nick wouldn't say that though. He's flipped before, but I think he's more worried about how his injuries will impact upon her mentally rather than physically."
What is Leanne's reaction when Nick snaps at Simon again?
"Shock. I think Leanne suddenly realises just how bad it's got. Nick has no control, he has no cover. He can snap at any point and he can't control when or how."
Does Nick feel bad when Leanne decides to send Simon off to live with his dad?
"Yes, definitely. She's fought hard to keep Simon and now he has to go and live with Peter because of him. Simon needs his mum and Nick feels he's messed that up now because of his affair."
At this stage, do you think the marriage will survive?
"At this point, I can't see it. They've a long way to go, and a hard road ahead of them."
Do you enjoy playing this nastier Nick?
"Yes, it's great. As long as there's truth there, I get to explore a part of Nick I've never had chance to before. It's a great opportunity as an actor."