{"id":305802,"date":"2025-12-08T22:10:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T22:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/305802\/"},"modified":"2025-12-08T22:10:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T22:10:12","slug":"coronation-street-icon-shares-toll-of-killer-storyline-as-he-couldnt-leave-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/305802\/","title":{"rendered":"Coronation Street icon shares toll of killer storyline as he ‘couldn’t leave house’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Coronation Street legend Brian Capron, who played iconic villain Richard Hillman, told the Mirror how a twist of fate sparked the killer storyline, with the pressure soon having an impact<\/p>\n

19:30, 08 Dec 2025Updated 19:40, 08 Dec 2025<\/p>\n

\"CoronationCoronation Street legend Brian Capron, who played iconic villain Richard Hillman, has told the Mirror how a twist of fate sparked the killer storyline(Image: Granada TV)<\/p>\n

As Coronation Street<\/a> reaches its 65th year, viewers have seen many soap villains cause destruction on the cobbles.<\/p>\n

But one stands out as the most iconic of them all – and 22 years after Richard Hillman\u2019s demise at the bottom of a canal, the actor who played him still gets remembered for his killer character\u2019s brutal actions and classic one-liners. Brian Capron admits it\u2019s nice to have made a mark as the hapless yet horrifying villain dubbed \u201cNorman Bates with a briefcase\u201d by his wife Gail Platt.<\/p>\n

From slamming his ex-wife Patricia over the head with a spade to smacking poor old Emily Bishop\u2019s head with a crowbar \u2013 and who could forget Maxine Peacock\u2019s grim death \u2013 it\u2019s hard to forget such a sinister villain. But Brian, 78, confessed that he faced the chop as Gail\u2019s \u201cboring\u201d new man, until a new producer changed plans.<\/p>\n

Speaking on the eve of the big anniversary, Brian told us: \u201cHe [Richard] was a bit cheesy for six months and then our producer got sacked. The new exec decided to home in on my character.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Coronation Street’s Bill Roache ‘signs new six-figure contract’ for ITV soap<\/a>READ MORE: Coronation Street’s Todd ‘approaching rock bottom’ as star shares toll of abuse plot<\/a>\"As\u00a0CoronationAs\u00a0Coronation Street\u00a0reaches its 65th year, viewers have seen many soap villains cause destruction on the cobbles(Image: Granada Television)<\/p>\n

\u201cThey saw something in it, they saw the threatening nature of it.\u201d Brian debuted on the soap in 1981 as a different character, called Donald. It was 20 years later that Richard appeared, and not until the following year that he took on his villainous persona.<\/p>\n

The dramatic change to his storyline led to a boost in ratings for the soap at a time when viewing figures had dropped drastically. Millions of fans tuned in to see Brian\u2019s brutal attack on Maxine and Emily in 2003. \u201cThe pressure was on,\u201d Brian said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou felt this great excitement about what was happening, and it kept going up to around 19 million [viewers]. It went to five episodes a week when I did it, and I did over 200 episodes in just less than two years. What really rocketed the ratings was Tracy Shaw [playing Maxine] being killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Richard\u2019s killing spree only ended when he drove the Platt family into a canal in a memorable stunt. Brian says viewers still quote the episode to him now, and credits the soap\u2019s talented team with making Richard so unforgettable. The actor recalled: \u201cThe writers made you feel sorry for him, and the relationship with the family was important.<\/p>\n

\"Richard'sRichard’s first victim Duggie kicked off the big storyline(Image: Granada Television)\"RichardRichard attacked is ex-wife Patricia with a shovel(Image: Granada Television)<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was why he was doing all this. So that made it great, he just wasn\u2019t this mad psychopath. He actually had a heart and a soul and was doing it for a reason. They used to give me quite long monologues.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey didn\u2019t do that for other actors. The writers developed Richard and the relationships he had with other characters. There was a lot of dimension to the character and a bit of humour around him.\u201d<\/p>\n

A soap character becoming a serial killer was almost unheard of until then, and it paved the way for future such stories. It also changed Brian\u2019s career. He said: \u201cMy storyline won the first BAFTA for Corrie and they awarded me one privately as well. I feel enormously grateful for everything that\u2019s happened.<\/p>\n

\"CorrieCorrie killer Richard Hillman tried to murder icon Emily (Image: Granada Television)\"AshleyAshley Peacock cradling his murdered wife Maxine(Image: Granada Television)<\/p>\n

\u201cI did Guys and Dolls at the West End and the Rocky Horror Show, and all these fabulous things happened after Corrie.\u201d The job also won him Villain of the Year, Best Exit, Best Storyline, Spectacular Scene of the Year and Best Actor at the British Soap Awards in 2003.<\/p>\n

Brian was so grateful to Corrie, he returned in December last year for his friend and co-star Helen\u2019s final episodes as Gail, after she decided to quit. Still dripping wet as if frozen in time after his dramatic canal death, Richard left Gail screaming in terror during a disturbing dream sequence.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cI came back out of respect for Helen\u2019s last episodes after 50 years, but honestly, if it hadn\u2019t been a good scene, I wouldn\u2019t have done it.\u201d Brian has also played six characters in ITV<\/a>\u2019s The Bill, and been in Angels, The Sweeney, Bergerac, Peak Practice, Minder, EastEnders<\/a> and Where The Heart Is.<\/p>\n

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He\u2019s busy away from acting as well, as he and second wife Jacqueline Bucknell run a corporate events business in Brighton called The Brilliant Company. They have a son, Louis, 22, and Brian also has daughters Lucy and Ellen from his first marriage to Janette Legge.<\/p>\n

He is now on stage again, this time in panto, starring as Aladdin\u2019s enemy Abanazar in Stockport,<\/a> and regrets his former attitude to the fun shows. He said: \u201cI used to be sniffy about panto. What right had I to be sniffy? It\u2019s fabulous. I\u2019m always a baddie \u2013 and there\u2019s nothing better than that.”<\/p>\n

Coronation Street <\/a>airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITV <\/a>X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok <\/a>, Snapchat <\/a>, Instagram <\/a>, Twitter <\/a>, Facebook <\/a>, YouTube <\/a>and Threads <\/a>.<\/p>\n