Former Coronation Street actor Adam Rickitt has been left devastated following the death of his best man and friend of 46 years.

Adam Rickitt rose to fame on the iconic cobbles as Nick Tilsley from 1997 to 1999 and again from 2002 to 2004. His character was part of the soap's first-ever gay kiss with Todd Grimshaw, portrayed by Bruno Langley.

After his time on the ITV soap, he transitioned to other popular soaps such as Hollyoaks and Doctors.

In addition to acting, Adam also ventured into the music industry and gained recognition for his 1999 music video for the song I Breathe Again. Outside of showbiz, Adam has embarked on a completely different career path, one to which he is fully dedicated.

Together with his journalist and TV reporter wife Katy Rickitt, he opened a craft beer, gin and wine shop and bar, reports the Mirror.

The venture, named Dexter and Jones, is located in Knutsford, Cheshire. It offers over 800 different craft beers, 10 draft beers that are regularly rotated, more than 300 small batch gins and over 200 different wines.

Patrons can purchase the drinks to take away or savour them on site.

Alongside his career shift, Adam has also undergone a significant personal transformation. Far removed from the clean-cut image of Nick from the cobbles, he now sports a much more muscular physique, numerous tattoos and shoulder-length blonde hair.