| Richard Hillman | |||||||
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| Coronation Street | |||||||
| Portrayed by | Brian Capron | ||||||
| Duration | 2001–2003 | ||||||
| First appearance | 20 June 2001 | ||||||
| Last appearance | 14 March 2003 | ||||||
| Book appearances | Coronation Street: The Complete Saga |
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| Profile | |||||||
| Date of birth | 19 December 1955 | ||||||
| Date of death | 14 March 2003 (aged 47) | ||||||
| Occupation | Financial advisor | ||||||
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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.[1]
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Backstory
Before arriving in Coronation Street, Richard Hillman, a financial advisor, had been married twice before. He and his first wife Marian tried for many years to have a child without success. When Richard's mother fell ill, Marian decided that she didn't want to look after an old age pensioner when she wanted a baby, so she left Richard and the two divorced.
Sometime later, Richard's mother had died and Richard had married his second wife, Patricia. Like Marian, Patricia wanted children, and she and Richard were shocked to discover that he was sterile. Knowing that Richard and Marian had tried unsuccessfully to have a child, Patricia believed that Richard had deceived her about his fertility, though Richard later told his third wife Gail Platt 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 divorced.
Arrival and relationship with Gail Platt
Richard made his first appearance in a storyline when he attended Alma Baldwin's funeral in the summer of 2001, claiming to be her cousin (it was never revealed whether Richard was in fact Alma's cousin or whether he was lying).
He quickly became friends with Gail Platt. This developed into a romance, and eventually Richard moved in with her, winning over her children Sarah-Louise and David by buying them expensive gifts. Most notably, by supplying David with fake tanning products, his first introduction to the 'fake bake'.
Hillman's dealings were questioned after it was learned by Norris Cole that several elderly people had lost their savings to him. A charming con man, there was subsequent speculation that Hillman was not a relative of Alma but simply an opportunist.
Murders
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 killer, becoming known as 'Killman' Hillman by the press. He murdered three Street residents and attempted to kill several others, including his own wife and two stepchildren. Throughout these storylines ITV used elaborate trailers using the phrase 'Killer Corrie' which later was used to describe other storylines.
Duggie's demise
Richard set up a business called Kellett Towers, which specialised in buy-back mortgages where he would buy a person's house outright, but they would be free to reside there until their death. Richard also went into business with Duggie Ferguson, building an estate of new homes. Hillman confronted Duggie at the flats during a disagreement about Duggie's shoddy workmanship. During the argument Duggie fell several floors when a bannister gave way (ironically, due to his own shoddy workmanship). Duggie was critically injured, however Richard left him to die, opportunistically allowing the incident to remove his unwanted business partner. He panicked at first, whipping out his mobile and dialling emergency services. However, he only dialled '99' before stopping, then he went to Duggie's flat to steal the large amount of cash Duggie stored there.
Murder of Patricia Hillman
Richard Hillman's second wife Patricia inconveniently turned up as Richard was finalising his wedding plans with Gail Platt. As she was moving to Australia, Patricia wanted to cash in her directorship of Kellett Holdings, Richard's property company. Patricia owned 20% of Kellett Holdings, which Richard finally persuaded her was worth £25,000.
He agreed to hand over the cheque at his Oakhill flats development, where they rowed as Richard stalled on the money due to the cost of underpinning work there. In the ensuing struggle Patricia stumbled into the underpinning trench, and rather than help her out he smashed her in the face with a spade, killing her outright. The next day her body was covered in tons of cement for the underpinnings. Gail and Richard then married on July 26, 2002.
Battle with Audrey Roberts
Over the following months, his business going downhill, Richard learned that Gail's mother, Audrey Roberts, was worth £250,000. Over the next few months, he managed to convince Audrey and her family that she was going senile, then tried to kill her in a house fire. She survived and eventually realised that Hillman was trying to kill her. She tried to warn Gail of his shady dealings, but Gail was convinced that she was indeed senile and refused to believe any of it, cutting all ties with Audrey. Audrey enlisted her friend Archie Shuttleworth (played by Roy Hudd) and tried to expose Hillman, but they were unsuccessful.
Murder of Maxine Peacock
Hillman was becoming desperate for money and needed to kill again. His next target was Emily Bishop, whose house he had bought in a mortgage buy-back scheme. Upon Emily's death he would be free to sell her house. During Maxine's mother Doreen Heavey's 50th birthday party at the Rover's Return pub, Hillman sneaked out of the pub, disguised himself as Aidan Critchley, and entered the house of Maxine Peacock where Emily was babysitting. Richard brutally attacked Emily with a crow bar. However, Maxine unexpectedly returned home at that point, saw him with the crowbar standing over Emily and confronted him. Hillman muttered in a sinister voice, "You should have stayed at the party Maxine", and beat her to death. Hillman staged a robbery and framed the despised Aiden who was jailed. Emily survived the attack.
Hillman received a phone call that a woman who had sold her home to Richard in a buy-back scheme had died a week prior. Hillman was distraught with guilt, realising that the attempt on Emily's life and Maxine's murder were now pointless, as he had already legally gained possession of the dead woman's home, and therefore would be able to now sell it.
Confession
After drug tests showed that Aiden had been drugged with the same variety of tranquilizers that Audrey had been prescribed (but had never taken), Aiden convinced Sarah-Louise Platt that he didn't commit the murder. Gail also then learned that Richard had lied about several other matters connected to his ex-wife's disappearance. She recalled seeing Richard at the cabinet where the tranquilizers were kept the night of Maxine's murder. She also learned that Richard had lied about his former wife's bracelet, when Steve McDonald revealed he had himself found it on the building site. Gail confronted Hillman, who confessed to the murders. Gail was sickened and described her husband as "Norman Bates with a briefcase". Gail also figured out that Richard was sterile and accused him of not being in love with her, but rather the "ready-made family" that she, David, Sarah and Sarah's daughter Bethany provided.
Drowning horror and Richard's death
Hillman ran away, but returned two weeks later and planned to kill his entire family. He was in the house when David returned home, and kept him silent when David's friend, Craig, called through the window. When Sarah returned later with then-boyfriend Todd, she left daughter Bethany on the sofa. While she was seeing Todd out, Hillman picked up Bethany and told Sarah that they'd both be okay if she did exactly what he said. Gail returned home in the evening, and had her hands tied by Richard. Gail, however, managed to smuggle a pair of nail scissors into her hands on the way out of the house. The kids were safe, but were bound and gagged in the family's car. While Gail was telling her kids she loved them, she put the scissors in Sarah's hands. Originally, Richard was going to gas the family in the garage, until Audrey called in and disturbed his plans. With the help of Kevin Webster, Tommy Harris, and Gail's ex-husband Martin Platt they broke down the garage door.
However, Hillman drove 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 were pursuing in another car. Sarah cut David's bonds, slowly but surely, then cut her own. Sarah then reached forward and tried to free Gail. Richard tried to pull them back and was swerving all over the road. Hillman eventually drove 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 drowned. His corpse was later identified by Gail beside the canal before being zipped into a body bag and after he was carried away, she threw her wedding and engagement ring into the canal.
Beyond The Grave
On 28 January 2006 as Sarah celebrated her 19th birthday she received 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 received a Valentine card from Richard. Gail received a third card on 14 March 2006, the third anniversary of his death. On Mother's Day, Audrey received a card. On her birthday, she received a card from him stating that he would "see her soon". In April, Les Battersby announced that he gave a ride to Richard Hillman in his cab, though this was seen as Les getting in on the gossip.
Sarah tried to convince Gail that it was David that was sending the cards. David denied this and started truanting from school, which caused Gail quite a lot of stress. Gail decided to test David by saying that it was Richard's birthday coming up in June 2006. On Richard's "birthday", she received a card addressed to Richard. That confirmed that the evil card-sender was David, as he didn't realise Richard's birthday was actually in December.
During the card-receiving period there was much speculation that Richard was to return to the soap; obviously in the later weeks of the storyline it then became apparent that he would not.
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 the exact 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 pushed Gail down the stairs. ITV said that the episode was made for 14 March as it was five years since Richard died.
Hillman's ghost
Throughout his succeeding storylines, Richard's former stepson David often hints at still being haunted by the memory of his psychotic stepfather. Instances include:
David Platt talking about his "bullies": "It's all about you in the first place. You and Richard. What do you call somebody who can't tell the difference between Blind Date and Crimewatch? David's mum. And every time I hear that, it's like I'm back there, looking at him."
David Platt talking to Jason about his mental damage: "It's weird the images that go through your head when somebody did want you dead. Like Richard."
David Platt to his mum: "Why would I send cards from Richard? I still have nightmares about him!"
David Platt during an argument with his mum: "I've hardly had a great life, have I? With your psycho boyfriends!"
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."[2]
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 spokeperson 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." [3]
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.[4]
At 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'.[5]
References
External links
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