Rick Neelan

Evil-doer
Full Name	Rick Neelan
Alias	Ricky
Origin	Coronation Street
Occupation	Loan shark Drug dealer
Powers / Skills	Intimidation
Hobby	Harassing his clients for money.
Goals	Extort Joe McIntyre out of money to clear his "debt". Force Tommy Duckworth to traffic drugs. Murder Gary Windass (all failed).
Crimes	Extortion Drug dealing Assault Murder (implied) Theft Taking hostages Harassment Identity theft Conspiracy Kidnapping Grievous bodily harm
Type of Villain	Drug Dealing Extortionist

Rick Neelan is a supporting antagonist in the British soap opera Coronation Street.

He is portrayed by Greg Wood, who also played Trevor Royle in Hollyoaks.

Biography

Rick in 2009.

Rick Neelan is a dangerous loan shark, who first appeared in November 2009 when he bought Joe McIntyre's debts from a development firm and demanded payment. Despite Joe's efforts, Rick kept adding on "interest", adding more stress to Joe. Joe attempted to fake his death for insurance money as a last minute resort, but ended up accidentally killing himself for real on the lake district. Despite Joe's (original) disappearance, Rick attempted to extort money from Joe's wife Gail and his daughter Tina, and even tried to set fire to her and her boyfriend Jason Grimshaw's flat. Rick was later arrested and charged.

In 2012 Rick was still working as a loan shark despite his previous charges and lent money to Terry Duckworth to open a strip club on Coronation Street. When Terry was unable to pay the money back due to his plans being scuppered by the residents, Rick started turning up wanting the money, along with his heavies and was amused that Terry's son Tommy was dating Tina.

When Terry fled without giving Rick his payment, he instead turned to harassing Tommy. Rick gave Tommy a proposition - use his position at the garage to stash drugs in cars belonging to Rick so they can be trafficked into Amsterdam. Tommy reluctantly agrees and carries out the task. Rick then tells him to transport a stash of drugs into the country, and Tommy agrees fearing for Tina's life. However Tina doesn't want Tommy to risk prison, so steals a bag of drugs belonging to Rick. Needing it back, Rick kidnaps Tina's friend Rita Sullivan on the day of her wedding and phones Tina to meet by the docks. They have a stand-off and Rick threatens to throw Rita into the water. Rick manages to get the drugs from Tina and flees when police sirens are heard. He is then arrested by Tina's enemy Kirsty Soames, a policewoman, and givne a seven year prison sentence for possession of drugs.

Rick was soon released in 2019 and began targeting Gary Windass for his debt to him. At one point he sends his henchwoman Sharon Geary to hassle Gary on several occasions. Eventually, Rick plans to kill Gary in the woods and ambushes him; however, Gary ends up killing Rick by beating him to death with the shovel after their confrontation. Thereafter Rick's fate was questioned by his daughter Kelly Neelan and her mother Laura Neelan, although Gary was able to deny his involvement in Rick's death.

Rick's body was uncovered in 2022, and a dying Laura took the blame for his death before passing away herself. Kelly discovered that Gary was actually involved and planned revenge on him, and began to experience hallucinations of her late father prompting her to get back at Gary. She turned to Rick's former associates in order to put a hit on Gary, although they ended up kidnapping Kelly and holding her against her will. Gary saved Kelly, and she forgave him before leaving Weatherfield for good, ending Rick's corrupting influence over the town after 13 years.

Trivia

• Greg Wood (the actor who played Rick Neelan) was nominated at the 2019 British Soap Awards ceremony for the award of "Villain of the Year".
• The character appeared for a total of 53 episodes from November 2009 to September 2022.