From Coronation Street to Shortland Street
Adam Rickitt became well-known in the UK for his role as Nick Tilsley in Granada Television’s top soap Coronation Street. After leaving Coronation Street he released an album and then worked on the stage. Adam was in the process of becoming a candidate for the Conservative Party in the UK when he decided to give acting one last shot by taking a part in a film to be shot in New Zealand.
He has become a well-known and much-loved character on New Zealand’s soap Shortland Street, playing the affable and rakishly good-looking Kieran Mitchell.
“Before I came to New Zealand my agent contacted someone at Shortland Street to see if they could help find me accommodation during the filming of the movie.
“I got a call an hour later from my agent saying I had been offered the role of Kieran Mitchell. It was going to be a three-month gig, but I found New Zealand worth leaving everything I knew and made it my home.”
It’s all about the people
“Of course the country is beautiful. I can walk along the beach with my blue heeler dogs, and the view from my house is stunning. The outdoor opportunities are endless.
“But really what makes New Zealand so outstanding is the people. There is a sense of community and a feeling of openness here I never found in the UK. I love the social side of New Zealand. Sure, it is a small country. I don’t have the anonymity I had in London. People notice what I buy at the supermarket, or often know a lot about my comings and goings. The flip side of that is you feel connected with people around you.”
Open to the possibilities
“If I had to identify a drawback it would be that due to its size, there isn’t as wide a selection of clubs and restaurants to go to. I guess that is the result of a country of only four million instead of 60 million. My move 18 months ago has taught me life’s direction is never cast in cement.
“New Zealand is a place where you can make things happen yourself. You don’t get pigeonholed as someone everyone else wants you to be. You can put yourself forward and develop in any way you want and it is OK. I think that, more than anything, has to be the most beneficial attribute of life in New Zealand.”