Tony’s battle with testicular cancer is ongoing – what’s it been like to film this harrowing storyline?
It’s had it’s up and downs; it’s one of those storylines you go home feeling knackered from. It drains you emotionally - when you come home from work you just want to have a drink!
To make the storyline as realistic as possible you’ve had your head shaved, plus all your body-hair waxed off - what was that like?
At first it was weird but I’ve got used to it now – plus I’m happy, and honoured, to do it; it’s better for the character and it looks more real. Anyone who knows me will tell you I can’t sit still for more than two minutes so putting a bald cap on me in the mornings would’ve been torture!
You do look completely different! Are there any benefits to having a shaved head?
I suppose it’s quite nice in the summer! You don’t get as hot and sweaty. And because I’ve had a full body wax I don’t get that thing blokes get when their armpits start to go a bit sweaty (tmi Nick!) I’ve been filming Hollyoaks Later in Morocco and it’s been very hot!
All the old boys – Jeremy Edwards (Kurt Benson), Nick’s brother John (Dominic Reilly) and James Redmond (Finn) – joined by Danny Dyer - are on board for Hollyoaks Later. What’s filming been like?
It’s been very much work hard and play hard; a lot of fun but it was very hot and I was in tuxedos most of the time. When you go away it’s always fun but when you go away with the old boys – and throw Danny Dyer into the mix, you’ve got a good party there! We were all well behaved though – we got the work done and had a nice drink after!
Hollyoaks celebrates 18 years in October – what will you be doing to celebrate?
I know the episodes they’re planning will be fantastic but in terms of the party I’ve got no idea what they’re doing. We had a big Willy Wonka themed do for our tenth anniversary. I’m sure they’ll do something very special for it; we never thought we’d last this long! When I joined I was booked for 26 episodes; 18 years later…! I’ll get parole soon!
Do you ever feel like moving onto something different?
The thing with me, I’ve always been happy. I sat down with my mum years ago and talked about it and she said; ‘Son, if you’re happy, what’s the point in going?’ And that’s how I’ve always looked at it. The minute I stop being happy then I probably will go. I love the people I work with and we have fun; we have a laugh every day on set; it’s a giggle.
You reached the finals of Celebrity MasterChef in 2011 – have you kept up the cooking?
I threw myself into that because I took time off from Hollyoaks, and when it finished I didn’t cook for six months. I used to live in a house with a few people and they’ve moved out now – you don’t tend to do it when you’re just cooking for yourself. But any chance I get, whenever I come home to my pub, I knock up a few bits.
What would you rustle up for us if we came round to yours for lunch?
Anything you like! I can pretty much do anything. I tend to do big salads when someone comes over, and I love getting the barbeque out – sitting in the sunshine, a little bit of vino!
How’s the pub (Nick runs a pub in London’s Notting Hill) going?
It’s great; I’ve just been tending to the window boxes – I’m getting ready for the Notting Hill Carnival. I’m the landlord / owner / everything, the DIY boy! My mum lives on site, she’s got a house next door. I do go behind the bar but I don’t tend to serve – I tend to just bring the stock up and down the stairs all the time – that’s my role!
Finally, can you tell us a little known fact about yourself?
I once appeared in the music video for Mike + The Mechanics’ ‘Over My Shoulder’, and I was in another one for Roxette – ‘Almost Unreal’. It was years ago but good fun!
Hollyoaks is on every weekday at 6.30pm, C4