13 June 2023 , 11:27
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Nick Berry became a household name in the '80s and '90s for his work on the BBC soap Eastenders as Simon Wicks and as PC Nick Rowan in Heartbeat.
The 60-year-old actor appeared on the latter for six years before going on to become harbour master Mike Nicholls in Harbour Lights for two seasons.
However, it was his stint in Albert Square that was his real big break, as Nick joined the soap in 1985, shortly after it started. His role on the show saw him shoot to heartthrob status and hordes of adoring fans would try to get a glimpse of him at work and off-duty.
Before heading over to the Yorkshire Dales for Heartbeat, Nick took a break from acting and tried his hand at singing, making an album with a number-one single, Every Loser Wins, which came out in 1986 and featured in Eastenders.
It remained top of the charts for three weeks before his music career stalled, however, he would sing again, recording a rendition of the Heartbeat theme in 1992 which reached number two.
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Today his life looks very different, as the actor stepped away from the spotlight after marrying film star Rachel Robertson and became a stay-at-home dad in Epping, Essex.
He shot to fame as Simon Wicks on Eastenders (Getty Images)
He quit acting aged 34 (Ken McKay/REX/Shutterstock)The pair have been together since 1989, when Rachel, who was just 17 at the time, was working as a Levi's jeans model.
Speaking about their early romance, Nick previously told The Mirror: "It was love at first sight for me but she thought I was just a dirty old man with a flash car."
However, all worked out for them and the couple tied the knot in December 1994 in a secret ceremony, before going on to start a family, welcoming two sons, Louis and Finley.
In August 1997, Nick decided to give up acting for good in order to focus on raising their kids and spending time with his wife, who is known for her roles in The Jungle Book (1994) and Mack the Knife (1989).
He was 34 years old at the time and revealed he was "bored" with fame.
"When I joined Heartbeat I wasn't married and didn't have kids. Everything has changed since then," he says.
Rachel is the love of his life (TV Times/Future Publishing via Getty Images)"I've never really got used to it, even after playing Wicksy in EastEnders. I don't feel the stimulus in acting anymore. You are little more than a puppet really."
However, in an amusing turn of events, it seems Nick may have originally forgotten to have filled his wife in on his plans before announcing them.
A journalist from The Mirror accidentally broke the news to his wife about his decision to quit, to which she is said to have replied: "He's not quitting acting is he? What did he say?"
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After leaving the small screen behind, Nick moved into production and set up his own TV and Film company, Valentine Productions at Pinewood Studios.
According to Companies House Records, he resigned from Valentine Productions in 2019.
Nick dated his Eastenders co-star Gillian Taylforth (BBC)
Gillian played his stepmother on the soap (WireImage)Before settling down for a quiet life with Rachel, Nick had one other high-profile relationship, as he dated an Eastenders co-star for three years.
The romance caused a stir as his girlfriend, Gillian Taylforth, played his on-screen stepmum, Kathy Beale, in the show and was eight years older than him.
The two dated from 1985 to 1988 when they decided to call it quits.
Gillian then went on to have a long-term relationship with Geoff Knights until 2009, with the pair having two children together.
He quit acting to become a stay-at-home dad (Getty Images)
He and his wife have two sons (WireImage)Nick previously told the Daily Mail in 2011 that he would "never say never" about returning to his acting roots now his kids were older, but at the time was "genuinely happy" as he was.
"I chose to be a stay-at-home dad and have loved it. I always said that when the boys were teenagers I could go back, but the longer you don't do something the harder it is to do it, and I haven't really missed it," he said.
However, the TV star did return to Eastenders once more in 2012, for a special appearance at Pat Butcher's funeral.
More recently, he has hit the headlines after being spotted out and about, grabbing a coffee.
People were quick to say the former actor looked "unrecognisable" with grey hair and a beard.