Coronation Street's Ben Price crying real tears as Nick Tilsley dotes on dying stepson

Coronation Street star Ben Price admits the ­heartbreaking storyline his character is going through often leaves him in tears.

Nick Tilsley is being put through emotional turmoil as his stepson Oliver Battersby has been diagnosed with an incurable form of mitochondrial disease, meaning he is likely to die from it.

Ben, 48, said: “I’ve got kids, it’s hard. It’s important but I’d be lying if I don’t go home at night sometimes and read the next bunch of scripts or the next scenes and have a little cry.

“You feel it, you’ve got to, you’re paid to feel it, but I can’t quite ever turn it off.

“We’ve been dealing with the Lily Foundation, who are going through this in real life, and it’s an important story to tell so you do feel a responsibility as an actor.”

Price joined the Street as Nick Tilsley in October 2009 and took a year away from the soap in 2017 to spend more time with his family, who live in the south, before returning to Manchester for filming.

He married fashion stylist Alexandra in 2005 and they have two children – daughter Paloma and son Maximilian.

In Friday’s episode, Nick was at the hospital again as Oliver had another seizure. As he stood outside, Nick spotted former girlfriend Natasha Blakeman (played by Rachel Leskovac).

The pair had not seen each other since she departed a decade ago.

It was later revealed that Natasha has a 10-year-old son called Sam – and she claims that Nick is his father.

Ben added: “I think it’s a bit overwhelming for Nick. There’s a whole load of emotions about whether she was lying and what lies have been told.

“It’s huge for him, what a time to find out you really do have a son as your stepson is dying?

“He makes some disastrous decisions and it is a brilliant story.

“Even I want to know what is going to happen!”