He burst on to the scene as a teen sex symbol in Coronation Street. After throwing it in to launch a lukewarm pop career, Adam is back and wowing audiences in the smash hit musical Rent.
Rent's been touring all over the country. Where have you been living?
Actually, I'm more or less homeless. I dont even have a base - well, apart from my parents' home in Cheshire but I only manage to get back there every five months. I was going to buy somewhere to live but because I'm touring all the time there's been no point. I've kind of come to realise that doing this job I never get to stay in the same place twice.
As far as settling down goes, have you got a girlfriend at the moment?
Er, yes, I do. Her name's Jane Doyle, she's 24 and she's in Rent as well. That's how we met. I was wary at first because you hear terrible tales about people who go out together and work together, but its great. We've been seeing each other for eight months and we've still not had an argument. Well, a little bit of bickering, but nothing much.
Tell us how it all happened? Who made the first move?
Jane says I did but she did really. She grabbed my hand and led me off. I think we both knew it was going to happen because we'd been giving out those signals for about a month. We share a rented house together now and its really good. She's a strong woman, very supportive and loving. And she's a beautiful girl as well.
Are you saving any money now that you're renting?
I'm very good with money. My dad's a merchant banker and I've had it drilled into me from the moment I could talk. He used to say 'Here's your pocket money, put 50p away'. And I've been lucky as well. I did Corrie when I was 18 and I invested what I earned. Then my album went gold around the world!
You were a real hit with the viewers as Nicky Tilsley in Coronation Street at a young age. Was acting something you always wanted to do?
Yes, but I didn't tell anyone until I was about 17. I did my A Levels - I got an A in Maths, English and French and a B in History - and was accepted at Cambridge to study law. But the day I recieved my results, I turned to my dad and told him I wanted to be an actor. His jaw virtually hit the floor.
No doubt he's very proud now?
Yes, but he'll be the first to admit he's still waiting for me to get a proper job.
So were you a real swotty type when you were at school?
No way. I was the black sheep of the family and I was suspended from school. I went to Sedbergh, a boarding school in Cumbria, where my grandfather, my dad and my three brothers, Tim, 29, Mark, 28 and Sam 25, all went. All my brothers were head of houses and school prefects and I was a demoted house prefect who was suspended.
Why did you get suspended from school?
I was 17 and got caught drinking a bottle and a half of brandy. I was so ill when they found me, they took me to sick bay. But I got up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet and instead of turning right outside the door, I turned left, walked into the housemaster's rooms an started to pee on his favourite armchair. The worst thing is, he walked in when I was halfway through and shouted 'Adam, what the hell are you doing?' I just carried on and said, 'I'll be finished in a minute, sir.' Even now the smell of brandy makes me come over all nauseous.
Is there anyone you'd really love to work with?
It would have to be Dame Judy Dench, Sean Connery, Tim Roth or Gary Oldman. Judy Dench is just incredible. I'd quite happily just have one line in a film if she was in it. In fact, I'd even be an extra, honestly.
Before we go, which three words would you use to describe yourself?
Loyal, shy and confident. It sounds like a contradiction but I think I'm very shy in public, although I'm quite confident in my work, if that makes sense.
And are those the same three words Jane would use?
I hope not. Her three words should definitely be 'great in bed'!
