Ben Price has played Coronation Street’s Nick Tilsley since 2009 and has been involved in a ton of cobbles drama
Ben Price has played Coronation Street’s Nick Tilsley since 2009 and has been involved in a ton of cobbles drama
Joe Crutchley Screen Time reporter
12:40, 19 Feb 2026Updated 12:41, 19 Feb 2026
Coronation Street’s Ben Price, who plays Nick Tilsley, is a soap stalwart – but it appears he has a rather well-known spouse.
The actor joined the ranks of the ITV soap in 2009, taking on the role of Nick, Gail Platt’s (Helen Worth) son. Since then, Nick, previously portrayed by Adam Rickitt and Warren Jackson, has been at the heart of the drama on the cobbles.
From illicit affairs to the revelation of a hidden son, Nick has featured in numerous major storylines. Particularly recently, as his son Sam Blakeman (Jude Riordan) has resorted to drugs to boost his plummeting grades in recent episodes.
In addition to grappling with academic struggles, Sam is also endeavouring to expose predator Megan Walsh (Beth Nixon) and her relationship with student Will Driscoll (Lucas Hodgson-Wale). Following Sam’s behavioural shift, father Nick has understandably become worried.
Off-screen, however, Ben, who portrays Nick, leads a far less tumultuous life with his wife and two children. He has been wedded to fashion stylist and fellow actor Alexandra Wheeler since 2005, reports the Daily Star.
The couple first crossed paths when they collaborated on a play titled On The Razzle. They share two children – Maximillian and Paloma.
When Paloma arrived in 2007, Ben, who had at that point gained recognition on ITV’s Footballers’ Wives’ and Casualty, took on the role of stay-at-home dad.
Speaking to The Telegraph in 2009, Ben shared: “‘I thought that being a stay-at-home dad was going to be easy but, initially, it was isolating and scary. No one trains you for the job. They just say, ‘Here’s a nappy, off you go.'”.
Nevertheless, Ben continued at the time: “I’ll be going back to work soon after the new baby is born and handing over the reins to Alex, but I consider myself lucky to have spent so much time with my daughter. Some dads go all week without seeing their children.”
A devoted family man, Ben temporarily departed the soap in 2017 to resume stay-at-home dad duties after finding it difficult to juggle his personal responsibilities with such a demanding filming schedule. Unable to continue travelling from London to Manchester for the part, he told the Daily Star: “I only left to go back to my kids.”
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“So I took them to school and made packed lunches and became a dad, and didn’t think about Nick Tilsley or the Street. I was a stay-at-home dad. It’s pretty unglamorous, it’s just life.”
However, just 12 months later, former series producer Kate Oates contacted Ben with the prospect of more adaptable working hours should he decide to rejoin the programme. Reflecting on his comeback, Ben shared: “It was a no-brainer for me. I missed the show, and I missed the cast and crew. […] It’s not always easy, but I’m lucky to have a supportive family and a job that I love. I’m just taking it one day at a time.”
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Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX
