Hollyoaks star Nick Pickard has played Tony Hutchinson since the Channel 4 soap launched back in 1995.
The actor remains the longest-serving cast member and has enjoyed over 25 years in the famous fictional village.
Nick studied at the Sylvia Young Theatre School and Corona Theatre School worked extensively in the theatre before joining the cast of the Channel 4 soap.
READ MORE: Inside Hollyoaks’ Steph Waring stunning home – romantic bedroom to impressive gym
Over the years, he’s been nominated for a number of awards independently and some nominations with colleagues.
In 2017, Nick won the British Soap Award for Outstanding Achievement in honour of his achievement of playing the role for 22 years.
(Image: Lime Pictures)
The soap star is also the owner of several restaurants in Sheffield and has a daughter named Ellie.
As well as playing Tony, Nick has also appeared himself on our television screens on reality shows and quiz programmes.
Tony is set to organise the village carnival in upcoming scenes but it turns into a disaster as a explosion threatens the lives of multiple residents
As his character is set to take centre stage, Daily Star has taken a look into Nick’s life away from the village.
Rival soap role
(Image: Sunday Mirror)
Tony Hutchinson has a lot of life experience with multiple marriages, affairs, being taken hostage by a serial killer, and being stabbed.
However, Hollyoaks is not Nick’s first visit to Soapland.
Before landing the role of Tony, Nick played a young homeless boy in EastEnders.
He played the minor role in 1993, two years before landing a major role in Hollyoaks.
One of his first roles was as Mio in the fantasy movie Mio in the Land of Faraway, which was released in 1987.
He also had parts in You Rang, M’Lord? and music videos for Roxette and Mike + The Mechanics.
Co-star romance
(Image: Mersey Television Company)
Nick dated Hollyoaks co-star Joanna Taylor, who played Geri Hudson in the Channel 4 soap, for one year.
The couple started dating in 2001 after meeting on the set of the serial drama, but they parted ways with Joanna later marrying Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy in 2004.
Former model Joanna and Danny announced their split in January 2019 after 15 years of marriage.
Since leaving Hollyoaks, Joanna, 43, has starred in BBC One police drama, Merseybeat as PC Jackie Brown.
(Image: GETTY)
In 2004, the actress appeared in the American film Post Impact with Dean Cain.
Joanna turned to writing a year later, contributing a weekly column to The Times from the perspective of a “footballer’s wife”.
After taking an extended break from acting, she featured in the British independent film Back in Business, opposite Martin Kemp, in 2007.
Famous brother
In 2005, Nick’s brother John joined the cast of Hollyoaks, portraying the role of Dominic Reilly, the half-brother of Tony.
When John left the programme in 2010, it was reported that Nick was set to follow in his brother’s footsteps and depart Hollyoaks, stating that he was “disgusted” with his brother’s “axing”.
However, Nick denied these reports, confirming that he was happy and had no intentions to leave the soap.
John is best known for playing David Porter in BBC sitcom 2poing4 Children.
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Between 1990 and 1991, he appeared in Series 13 and 14 of the children’s BBC drama series Grange Hill as the character Neil Timpson.
In 2008, he was cast as Doctor Who companion Thomas Brewster for Doctor Who Audio Dramas in The Haunting of Thomas Brewster.
As well as pantomimes, John has also performed as George in Same Time, Next Year, James in Writebites Trevor in Aphrodite Blugs, Ben in Stroke Me, Colin in Saved, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and Morton in An Enemy of the People.
Reality TV stint
(Image: BBC)
Hollyoaks is not the only time the siblings have worked together on camera.
The brothers took part in ITV cooking show Soapstar Superchef back in 2007.
In 2011, Nick participated in the sixth series of Celebrity MasterChef, where he reached the final though lost out to This Morning chef Phil Vickery.
He tried his luck on BBC’s Pointless Celebrities in 2016, playing the game in a partnership with his Hollyoaks colleague Alex Fletcher, who plays Tony’s wife Diane Hutchinson.
Hollyoaks airs weekdays on Channel 4 at 6.30pm followed by first look episodes on E4 at 7pm
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
