Nicole & Dickie WE'LL BE FRIENDS FOR ANOTHER 41 YEARS!

INSIDE THE AUSSIE PAIR'S SECRET RELATIONSHIP

Nicole Kidman's face lights up whenever she sees Richard Wilkins. But then, Nine's entertainment editor has long been one of the constants in Nicole's life, sharing her many triumphs and tragedies, both professionally and as a loyal mate.

"Love you," Nicole, 57, told Richard during a recent interview to promote Season 2 of her TV series Special Ops: Lioness. Richard, or 'Dickie' as he is known, replied: "Love you too, Nic."

Those simple words revealed the depth of a 41-year relationship that began in 1983, when Richard met an aspiring young actress with "flaming red curls" at the premiere of her first-ever film, BMX Bandits.

When Richard and Nicole first crossed paths, he had recently stepped back from his own music career (which saw him performing under the name Richard Wilde) and started working in radio promotions.