Richard Hillman
Encyclopedia
Richard Charles Hillman was a fictional character
in the British television soap opera
Coronation Street
, played by Brian Capron
. Hillman is now rated as one of the best soap villains of all time.
, becoming known as 'Killman' Hillman by the press. He murdered one Street resident as well as his first wife and attempted to kill several others, including his own wife, two stepchildren, and step-granddaughter, as well as being partly responsible for the death of Duggie Ferguson. Throughout these storylines ITV
used elaborate trailers using the phrase 'Killer Corrie' which later was used to describe other storylines.
The double-bill broadcast on 22 February 2003, in which Richard revealed all to Gail attracted an average of 17.2 million viewers for the first instalment, with the second episode averaging 17.6 million. The second episodes peaked at 19.4 million. A spokesperson for Granada Television stated; "The figures are truly staggering. The phones haven't stopped here with fantastic feedback. The whole nation has woken up and is talking about it."
On 14 March 2003, 19.4 million viewers (62% audience share) tuned in to see Richard drive the Platt family into the canal. The ratings success of the serial killer storyline made Coronation Street the most-watched UK television programme of 2003 beating rival EastEnders
into second place.
At the 2003 British Soap Awards
actor Brian Capron swept the board for his portrayal of Richard winning gongs for 'Best Actor', 'Best Exit' and 'Villain of the Year'. His confessions episode was voted 'Most Spectacular Scene' and his murders was voted 'Best Storyline'.
Sometime later, Richard's mother has died and Richard married his second wife, Patricia (Annabelle Apsion
). Like Marian, Patricia wants children, and she and Richard are shocked to discover that he is sterile. Knowing that Richard and Marian had tried unsuccessfully to have a child, Patricia believes that Richard has deceived her about his fertility, though Richard later tells his third wife Gail Platt
(Helen Worth
) that he had always believed that Marian was at fault and was stunned to discover that he was in fact, responsible. Whatever the reason, Patricia and Richard divorce.
)'s funeral in the summer of 2001, claiming to be her cousin.
He quickly befriends Gail Platt, eventually forming a romantic relationship with her. Richard moves in with her, winning over her children Sarah-Louise (Tina O'Brien
) and David
(Jack P. Shepherd
) by buying them expensive gifts.
Richard's dealings are questioned after Norris Cole
(Malcolm Hebden
) learns that Richard was responsible for several elderly people losing their savings.
Richard sets up a business called Kellett Towers, which specialises in buy-back mortgages - he would buy the house but the occupant would be free to live there until their death. Richard also goes into business with Duggie Ferguson (John Bowe), building an estate of new homes. Hillman confronts Duggie at the flats during a disagreement about Duggie's shoddy workmanship. During the argument, Duggie falls several floors when a banister gives way (ironically, due to his own shoddy workmanship). Duggie is critically injured and Richard leaves him to die, opportunistically allowing the incident to remove his unwanted business partner. He panics at first, whipping out his mobile and dialing emergency services. However, he only dials '99' before stopping, then he goes to Duggie's flat to steal the cash Duggie stored there.
In May 2002, Richard's ex-wife, Patricia, inconveniently turns up as Richard finalises his and Gail's wedding plans. As she was moving to Australia, Patricia wants to cash in her directorship of Kellett Holdings, Richard's property company. Patricia owns 20% of Kellett Holdings, which Richard finally persuades her is worth £25,000.
He agrees to hand over the cheque at his Oakhill flats development, where they fight as Richard stalls on the money due to the cost of underpinning work. In the ensuing struggle, Patricia falls into the underpinning trench and Richard hit her in the face with a spade, killing her immediately. The next day, her body is covered in tons of cement for the underpinnings. Gail and Richard are married on 26 July 2002.
Over the following months with his business going downhill, Richard learns that Gail's mother, Audrey Roberts
(Sue Nicholls
) is worth £250,000. Over the next few months, he manages to convince
Audrey and her family that she is going senile and tries to kill her by setting a house fire. She survives after being pulled out of the blaze by Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson
), who had been passing by and realised that Hillman was trying to kill her. She tries to warn Gail but she is convinced that she is indeed senile and refuses to believe her, cutting all ties with Audrey. Audrey enlistes her friend Archie Shuttleworth (Roy Hudd
) and tries to expose Richard to the police, but they are unsuccessful ,as the police say there is no evidence to suggest he was responsible. The pair do however receive help from Norris.
Richard becomes desperate for money and decides to kill again. His next target is Emily Bishop
(Eileen Derbyshire
), whose house he had bought. Upon Emily's death, he would be free to sell her house. During a 50th birthday party at the Rover's Return pub for Doreen Heavey (Maxine's mother), Richard leaves the pub, disguised himself as Aidan Critchley, and enters Maxine Peacock's (Tracy Shaw
) house where Emily is babysitting. Richard attacks Emily with a crowbar, but Maxine returns at that point and confronts him. Richard then beats Maxine to death. He stages a robbery and frames Aiden, who is charged with murder and attempted murder and is remanded in custody. Emily is badly hurt, but survives the attack.
Richard receives a phone call that a woman who had sold her home to Richard in a buy-back scheme had died a week prior. He is wracked with guilt, realising that the attempt on Emily's life and Maxine's murder had been pointless, as he had already legally gained possession of the dead woman's home, and would now be able to sell it. Also, the apartments he owns are beginning to sell because the proposed construction of a bail hostel nearby had fallen through.
After drug tests show that Aiden had been drugged with the tranquilizers prescribed for Audrey, Aiden convinces Sarah-Louise Platt that he didn't commit the murder. Gail also learns that Richard had lied about several matters connected to his ex-wife's disappearance. She recalls seeing Richard at the cabinet where the tranquilizers were kept the night of Maxine's murder. She also learns that Richard had lied about his former wife's bracelet, when Steve McDonald reveals that he had found it on the building site. Gail confronts Richard, who confesses to the murders. Horrified, Gail describes her husband as "Norman Bates
with a briefcase". Gail also guesses that Richard is sterile and accuses him of not being in love with her, but rather the "ready-made family" that she, David, Sarah and Sarah's daughter, Bethany, provided. Gail then tells the police about Patricia's body under the concrete and they dig her body out of the cement.
Hillman runs away and becomes the most wanted man in Britain, only to return two weeks later intent on killing his entire family and himself. He is in the house when David returns home, and keeps him silent when David's friend, Craig, calls through the window. When Sarah returns later with then-boyfriend Todd, she leaves her daughter Bethany on the sofa. While she is seeing Todd out, Hillman picks up Bethany and tells Sarah that they will both be alright if she does exactly what he says. Gail returns home in the evening, and has her hands tied by Richard. Gail, however, manages to smuggle a pair of nail scissors into her hands on the way out of the house. The children are safe, but are bound and gagged in the family's car. While Gail tells them that she loves them, she puts the scissors in Sarah's hands. Originally, Richard intended to gas the family in the garage, until Audrey calls in and disturbs his plans. With the help of Kevin Webster
, Tommy Harris, and Gail's ex-husband Martin Platt
they break down the garage door.
However, Hillman drives off, with "You and Me Song
" by The Wannadies playing on the CD player in a continuous loop, which he said was a favourite of Sarah-Lou's from a previous summer holiday. Martin, Kevin and Tommy give chase in another car. Sarah cuts David's bonds, slowly but surely, then cuts her own. Sarah then reaches forward and tries to free Gail. Richard tries to pull them back, causing him to swerve all over the road. Hillman eventually drives them into the canal, screaming "This is it! I LOVE YOU!". The various family members managed to free themselves from the vehicle and were rescued by Tommy Harris and Martin Platt
.
Richard escapes from the car, but drowns moments later. Gail then identifies his body at the canal side.
Sarah tries to convince Gail that David is sending the cards. David denies it, however, and starts truanting
from school, which causes Gail quite a lot of stress. Gail decides to test David by saying that it is Richard's birthday coming up in June 2006. On Richard's "birthday", she receives a card addressed to Richard. That confirms that David was the one sending the cards, as he didn't realise that Richard's birthday was actually in December.
Richard Hillman is still controlling the way the Platts behave, long after his death. David has been permanently traumatized by the situation, and proves it by acting in vicious or disturbing ways. In October 2007, David drove his car into the canal in exactly the same place as Richard, to the same music. It seems that all these years later, the ordeal is still clear in his head, and still shows no signs of leaving.
In March 2008, David pushes Gail down the stairs. ITV said that the episode was made for 14 March as it was five years since Richard died.
Throughout his succeeding storylines, Richard's former stepson David often hints at still being haunted by the memory of his stepfather.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the British television soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
, played by Brian Capron
Brian Capron
Brian Capron, born 11 February 1947 at Eye in Suffolk, is a British actor, who trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art . His father was an Algerian pilot, of French descent, who died in a plane crash before Brian was born....
. Hillman is now rated as one of the best soap villains of all time.
Development
Richard Hillman is renowned as one of the greatest soap villains of all time. Throughout his time on the soap, he turned from a conniving fraudster into a fully-fledged serial killerSerial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
, becoming known as 'Killman' Hillman by the press. He murdered one Street resident as well as his first wife and attempted to kill several others, including his own wife, two stepchildren, and step-granddaughter, as well as being partly responsible for the death of Duggie Ferguson. Throughout these storylines ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
used elaborate trailers using the phrase 'Killer Corrie' which later was used to describe other storylines.
Reception
The character of Richard Hillman proved to be monumentally successful with viewers and critics. On 13 January 2003, an estimated 15.3 million viewers watched the first instalment of Coronation Street with 15.6 million tuning in to watch Richard murder long-standing character Maxine Peacock in the second episode. The two episodes caused a power surge; a National Grid spokesman said: "Obviously, there was a huge audience which meant at the end of the programme people were getting up, turning lights on, going to the toilet, opening fridge doors and boiling kettles. It's that concentrated period when a programme finishes and millions of people around the country go and do something else other than watching Coronation Street."The double-bill broadcast on 22 February 2003, in which Richard revealed all to Gail attracted an average of 17.2 million viewers for the first instalment, with the second episode averaging 17.6 million. The second episodes peaked at 19.4 million. A spokesperson for Granada Television stated; "The figures are truly staggering. The phones haven't stopped here with fantastic feedback. The whole nation has woken up and is talking about it."
On 14 March 2003, 19.4 million viewers (62% audience share) tuned in to see Richard drive the Platt family into the canal. The ratings success of the serial killer storyline made Coronation Street the most-watched UK television programme of 2003 beating rival EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
into second place.
At the 2003 British Soap Awards
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
actor Brian Capron swept the board for his portrayal of Richard winning gongs for 'Best Actor', 'Best Exit' and 'Villain of the Year'. His confessions episode was voted 'Most Spectacular Scene' and his murders was voted 'Best Storyline'.
Backstory
Before arriving in Coronation Street, Richard Hillman, a financial advisor, has been married twice before. He and his first wife, Marian, try for many years to have a child without success. When Richard's mother falls ill, Marian decides that she doesn't want to look after an old age pensioner when she wants a baby, so she leaves Richard and the two divorce.Sometime later, Richard's mother has died and Richard married his second wife, Patricia (Annabelle Apsion
Annabelle Apsion
Annabelle Apsion is an English actress, best known for playing Monica Gallagher in the hit television comedy-drama Shameless, which she played intermittently between 2004 and 2006, before becoming a regular cast member for the show's fourth series in 2007. She left the show in 2008 in order to...
). Like Marian, Patricia wants children, and she and Richard are shocked to discover that he is sterile. Knowing that Richard and Marian had tried unsuccessfully to have a child, Patricia believes that Richard has deceived her about his fertility, though Richard later tells his third wife Gail Platt
Gail Platt
Gail McIntyre is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Helen Worth, the character first appeared on screen on 12 July 1974...
(Helen Worth
Helen Worth
Helen Worth is an English actress, best known for her portrayal of the Coronation Street character Gail McIntyre- Early life :...
) that he had always believed that Marian was at fault and was stunned to discover that he was in fact, responsible. Whatever the reason, Patricia and Richard divorce.
2001–03
Richard makes his first appearance when he attends Alma Baldwin (Amanda BarrieAmanda Barrie
Amanda Barrie is an English actress.-Career:Born as Shirley Anne Broadbent, Barrie attended St Anne's College, St Anne's on Sea. She then trained at the Arts Educational School in London and later at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School...
)'s funeral in the summer of 2001, claiming to be her cousin.
He quickly befriends Gail Platt, eventually forming a romantic relationship with her. Richard moves in with her, winning over her children Sarah-Louise (Tina O'Brien
Tina O'Brien
Tina O'Brien is an English actress. She is best known for playing the role of Sarah-Louise Platt in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street.-Acting career:...
) and David
David Platt (Coronation Street)
David Daniel Platt is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 26 December 1990 and is portrayed by actor Jack P...
(Jack P. Shepherd
Jack P. Shepherd
Jack Peter Shepherd is an English actor. He plays David Platt in the ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street. He joined the show in April 2000, taking over the role from Thomas Ormson.Shepherd was born in Pudsey, Leeds, West Yorkshire....
) by buying them expensive gifts.
Richard's dealings are questioned after Norris Cole
Norris Cole
Norris Benjamin Cole is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Malcolm Hebden, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 11 March 1994 and remained until his departure on 14 April 1997, only to return on 1 December...
(Malcolm Hebden
Malcolm Hebden
Malcolm Hebden is an English television and stage actor best known for his role as Norris Cole in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
) learns that Richard was responsible for several elderly people losing their savings.
Richard sets up a business called Kellett Towers, which specialises in buy-back mortgages - he would buy the house but the occupant would be free to live there until their death. Richard also goes into business with Duggie Ferguson (John Bowe), building an estate of new homes. Hillman confronts Duggie at the flats during a disagreement about Duggie's shoddy workmanship. During the argument, Duggie falls several floors when a banister gives way (ironically, due to his own shoddy workmanship). Duggie is critically injured and Richard leaves him to die, opportunistically allowing the incident to remove his unwanted business partner. He panics at first, whipping out his mobile and dialing emergency services. However, he only dials '99' before stopping, then he goes to Duggie's flat to steal the cash Duggie stored there.
In May 2002, Richard's ex-wife, Patricia, inconveniently turns up as Richard finalises his and Gail's wedding plans. As she was moving to Australia, Patricia wants to cash in her directorship of Kellett Holdings, Richard's property company. Patricia owns 20% of Kellett Holdings, which Richard finally persuades her is worth £25,000.
He agrees to hand over the cheque at his Oakhill flats development, where they fight as Richard stalls on the money due to the cost of underpinning work. In the ensuing struggle, Patricia falls into the underpinning trench and Richard hit her in the face with a spade, killing her immediately. The next day, her body is covered in tons of cement for the underpinnings. Gail and Richard are married on 26 July 2002.
Over the following months with his business going downhill, Richard learns that Gail's mother, Audrey Roberts
Audrey Roberts
Audrey Roberts is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Sue Nicholls, the character first appeared during the episode aired on 16 April 1979....
(Sue Nicholls
Sue Nicholls
Susan Frances Harmar Nicholls is an English actress, best known today for her long-running role as Audrey Roberts in British soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
) is worth £250,000. Over the next few months, he manages to convince
Gaslighting
Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse in which false information is presented with the intent of making a victim doubt his or her own memory and perception...
Audrey and her family that she is going senile and tries to kill her by setting a house fire. She survives after being pulled out of the blaze by Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson
Simon Gregson
Simon Gregson is an English actor. He is known for being a cast member of the British soap opera Coronation Street in which he has played Steve McDonald since 1989....
), who had been passing by and realised that Hillman was trying to kill her. She tries to warn Gail but she is convinced that she is indeed senile and refuses to believe her, cutting all ties with Audrey. Audrey enlistes her friend Archie Shuttleworth (Roy Hudd
Roy Hudd
Roy Hudd, OBE is an English comedian, actor, radio host and author, and an authority on the history of music hall entertainment.- Early life :...
) and tries to expose Richard to the police, but they are unsuccessful ,as the police say there is no evidence to suggest he was responsible. The pair do however receive help from Norris.
Richard becomes desperate for money and decides to kill again. His next target is Emily Bishop
Emily Bishop
Emily Bishop is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street...
(Eileen Derbyshire
Eileen Derbyshire
Eileen Derbyshire, MBE is an English actress, best known for her role as Emily Bishop on the soap opera Coronation Street. She has played the character since 1961, making her the longest-serving female cast member in a British soap opera...
), whose house he had bought. Upon Emily's death, he would be free to sell her house. During a 50th birthday party at the Rover's Return pub for Doreen Heavey (Maxine's mother), Richard leaves the pub, disguised himself as Aidan Critchley, and enters Maxine Peacock's (Tracy Shaw
Tracy Shaw
Tracy Shaw is a British actress and singer.She is best known for her role as hairdresser Maxine Peacock in British soap opera Coronation Street during the 1990s and early 2000s.-Career:...
) house where Emily is babysitting. Richard attacks Emily with a crowbar, but Maxine returns at that point and confronts him. Richard then beats Maxine to death. He stages a robbery and frames Aiden, who is charged with murder and attempted murder and is remanded in custody. Emily is badly hurt, but survives the attack.
Richard receives a phone call that a woman who had sold her home to Richard in a buy-back scheme had died a week prior. He is wracked with guilt, realising that the attempt on Emily's life and Maxine's murder had been pointless, as he had already legally gained possession of the dead woman's home, and would now be able to sell it. Also, the apartments he owns are beginning to sell because the proposed construction of a bail hostel nearby had fallen through.
After drug tests show that Aiden had been drugged with the tranquilizers prescribed for Audrey, Aiden convinces Sarah-Louise Platt that he didn't commit the murder. Gail also learns that Richard had lied about several matters connected to his ex-wife's disappearance. She recalls seeing Richard at the cabinet where the tranquilizers were kept the night of Maxine's murder. She also learns that Richard had lied about his former wife's bracelet, when Steve McDonald reveals that he had found it on the building site. Gail confronts Richard, who confesses to the murders. Horrified, Gail describes her husband as "Norman Bates
Norman Bates
Norman Bates is a fictional character created by writer Robert Bloch as the central character in his novel Psycho, and portrayed by Anthony Perkins as the main antagonist of the 1960 film of the same name directed by Alfred Hitchcock...
with a briefcase". Gail also guesses that Richard is sterile and accuses him of not being in love with her, but rather the "ready-made family" that she, David, Sarah and Sarah's daughter, Bethany, provided. Gail then tells the police about Patricia's body under the concrete and they dig her body out of the cement.
Hillman runs away and becomes the most wanted man in Britain, only to return two weeks later intent on killing his entire family and himself. He is in the house when David returns home, and keeps him silent when David's friend, Craig, calls through the window. When Sarah returns later with then-boyfriend Todd, she leaves her daughter Bethany on the sofa. While she is seeing Todd out, Hillman picks up Bethany and tells Sarah that they will both be alright if she does exactly what he says. Gail returns home in the evening, and has her hands tied by Richard. Gail, however, manages to smuggle a pair of nail scissors into her hands on the way out of the house. The children are safe, but are bound and gagged in the family's car. While Gail tells them that she loves them, she puts the scissors in Sarah's hands. Originally, Richard intended to gas the family in the garage, until Audrey calls in and disturbs his plans. With the help of Kevin Webster
Kevin Webster
Kevin John Webster is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Michael Le Vell, the character first appeared onscreen on 19 October 1983...
, Tommy Harris, and Gail's ex-husband Martin Platt
Martin Platt
Martin Platt is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, portrayed by Sean Wilson.-Departure:Actor Sean Wilson was axed from Coronation Street when a major storyline conference decided the character of Martin had been "played out". At the time, it was said that...
they break down the garage door.
However, Hillman drives off, with "You and Me Song
You and Me Song
"You and Me Song" is a song by Swedish band The Wannadies. Originally released as a single in 1994, it became the group's biggest UK hit two years later when it reached number 18 in the singles chart in April 1996....
" by The Wannadies playing on the CD player in a continuous loop, which he said was a favourite of Sarah-Lou's from a previous summer holiday. Martin, Kevin and Tommy give chase in another car. Sarah cuts David's bonds, slowly but surely, then cuts her own. Sarah then reaches forward and tries to free Gail. Richard tries to pull them back, causing him to swerve all over the road. Hillman eventually drives them into the canal, screaming "This is it! I LOVE YOU!". The various family members managed to free themselves from the vehicle and were rescued by Tommy Harris and Martin Platt
Martin Platt
Martin Platt is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, portrayed by Sean Wilson.-Departure:Actor Sean Wilson was axed from Coronation Street when a major storyline conference decided the character of Martin had been "played out". At the time, it was said that...
.
Richard escapes from the car, but drowns moments later. Gail then identifies his body at the canal side.
Aftermath
On 28 January 2006, as Sarah celebrates her 19th birthday, she receives a birthday card signed "I still think of you as my daughter... Love Richard". The Platts put this down to a sick joke, but three weeks later Gail receives a Valentine card from Richard. Gail receives a third card on 14 March 2006, the third anniversary of Richard's death. On Mother's Day, Audrey receives a card. On her birthday, she receives a card from him stating that he would "see her soon". In April, Les Battersby announces that he gave a ride to Richard Hillman in his cab, though this was seen as Les getting in on the gossip.Sarah tries to convince Gail that David is sending the cards. David denies it, however, and starts truanting
Truancy
Truancy is any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory schooling. The term typically describes absences caused by students of their own free will, and usually does not refer to legitimate "excused" absences, such as ones related to medical conditions...
from school, which causes Gail quite a lot of stress. Gail decides to test David by saying that it is Richard's birthday coming up in June 2006. On Richard's "birthday", she receives a card addressed to Richard. That confirms that David was the one sending the cards, as he didn't realise that Richard's birthday was actually in December.
Richard Hillman is still controlling the way the Platts behave, long after his death. David has been permanently traumatized by the situation, and proves it by acting in vicious or disturbing ways. In October 2007, David drove his car into the canal in exactly the same place as Richard, to the same music. It seems that all these years later, the ordeal is still clear in his head, and still shows no signs of leaving.
In March 2008, David pushes Gail down the stairs. ITV said that the episode was made for 14 March as it was five years since Richard died.
Throughout his succeeding storylines, Richard's former stepson David often hints at still being haunted by the memory of his stepfather.