MARTIN PLATT & RICHARD HILLMAN (48 VOTES)
Duration: 1985-2005 & 2001-2003 respectively
Played by: Sean Wilson & Brian Capron respectively
2012 character poll position (men): 15 (Richard); Martin didn’t appear
Both Gail’s husbands occupy the 20th position. And what different hubbies they were!
Martin Platt:
Introduced as an assistant at Jim’s Café, working alongside Gail and Phyllis Pearce.
After a relationship with Jenny Bradley, he began courting Gail in 1989 (she was widowed after hubby Brian was stabbed). She was ten years his senior, which caused conflict between her and her mother in law Ivy.
Gail gave birth to David in 1990, and in 1991 Gail and Martin married with Martin adopting Nick and Sarah, despite Ivy’s attempts to derail the process.
Martin trained to be a nurse and was employed at Weatherfield General.
Despite nutty nanny Carmel Finnan’s infatuation with Martin and Martin’s one-night stand with nurse Cathy Power in 1994, the Platt marriage survived until he had an affair with Rebecca Hopkins, another nurse in 2000.
Gail and Martin divorced in 2001 but remained good friends.
Martin embarked on a relationship with 16 year old Katy Harris in 2002, to Katy’s father Tommy’s annoyance. The pressures they were under led Martin to end the relationship.
He left the street for Liverpool in 2005 with girlfriend Robyn, who later gave birth to a daughter.
Martin’s main friends over the years were Kevin Webster, Curly Watts and Des Barnes.
Were you a fan of Martin?
Richard Hillman:
Introduced as Alma Halliwell’s cousin (or was he?!) at her funeral and began schmoozing Audrey and Gail. He later began a relationship with Gail and they married in 2002.
A financial advisor and businessman who went into partnership with Duggie Ferguson in a property development. During an argument, Duggie fell through a stair-rail and Richard left him for dead, stealing the cash in the safe.
Thus began his descent into madness and desperation: he killed ex-wife Patricia, attempted to murder Audrey and Emily Bishop for their cash, conned the Duckworths out of their life savings, murdered Maxine Peacock, and ultimately tried to kill the Platt family by driving into the canal. He only perished.
Nicknamed Tricky Dicky and Killman Hillman by the press, the storyline gripped the nation for nearly two years and won many awards.
Gail thought that Richard was sending her cards from the grave in 2006 but it was David who had a sick vendetta against her.
Were you gripped by the Hillman saga like I was?
Relive the whole Richard Hillman saga in Norman Bates with a Briefcase.
Relive the whole Richard Hillman saga in Norman Bates with a Briefcase.
Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.
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Two years??? And here we are, thinking that the Callum plot has lasted too long...
ReplyDeleteI loved the Hillman years. He was the best villain on the Street. I would also love to see a return for the seldom mentioned Martin, especially during the current Platt crisis. (Not that I think the actor would want to return - having bought some delicious cheese from him recently, I would say it seems he is happy and successful in his new career!)
ReplyDeleteSo funny that these two ended up in a tie. Richard was the best Corrie villain ever, as far as I am concerned. The slow burn of his terror was extremely well done. I can still remember him hiding in Audrey's having turned the washing machine on or off (I can't remember which) and she really thought she was losing her marbles!
ReplyDeleteI loved the Hillman years too, especially as it involved a meaty plot for the fabulous Audrey - and the wonderful Archie Shuttleworth, the only person to believe she wasn't going do-lally.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Martin have a brief fling with Sally too?(after his divorce from Gail) I seem to remember a camping trip ...
I'd forgotten Martin & Robyn had a child. That means David's half-sister will be 10 now. Odd he never mentions her, especially after staying with Martin recently. Do we even know her name?