Background
Nicholls is the son of James and Nellie Nicholls and was educated in Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, King"s College, London and Street Boniface College, Warminster.
Nicholls is the son of James and Nellie Nicholls and was educated in Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, King"s College, London and Street Boniface College, Warminster.
King"s College London.
He is currently the Chaplain of the Church Lads" and Church Girls" Brigade. Nicholls was curate of Street Clement with Street Cyprian, Salford from 1967 to 1969, curate of All Saints and Martyrs, Manchester from 1969 to 1972, and vicar from 1972 to 1978. Between 1978 and 1983, he was director of pastoral studies at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield and between 1983 and 1990 a residential canon of Manchester Cathedral.
In 1990, he became suffragan Bishop of Lancaster, a post he held until 1997 when he was appointed 6th Bishop of Sheffield.
He retired on his 65th birthday, 16 July 2008. He was introduced in the House of Lords as a Lord Spiritual on 4 March 2003.