Changes: Episode 5459 (12th March 2003)

Revision as of 21:45, 10 January 2021

Plot

Richard tells Gail he can't live without her, and refuses to consider giving himself up to the police. He ties her up with gaffer tape and leaves a written confession in an envelope on the side in the living room absolving her of any responsibility for his crimes. Gail is able to pick up a pair of nail scissors without Richard noticing. He explains to Gail that he always wants to be by her side and that he loves her and the kids. Gail realises that Richard is intent on a suicide pact and fears for the worst. She is led to the garage where she finds Sarah and David tied up with tape and gagged in the back seat of the car while Bethany is asleep having been given sedatives. Gail asks to give a goodbye kiss to the children and uses the opportunity to pass the scissors to Sarah. Gail is then gagged and put in the front seat and Richard switches on the engine. He switches on the radio playing songs from their holiday in Florida as Sarah tries to free David. Audrey calls round to see Gail, there's no reply and the door is bolted from the inside. Audrey is concerned. Martin comes over and they hear the music and running engine in the garage and realise that Richard is trying to kill the whole family. Tommy and Kevin force the garage door open. Richard in desperation drives at them. Tommy, Kevin and Martin give chase in another car. Katy phones the police. Norris who's seen the whole thing tells everyone in the Rovers what's going on. Sarah and David manage to free themselves and David fights with Richard for control of the wheel while Sarah frees Gail, but it's too late; Richard drives to the canal-side and straight off the end. The car plunges into the canal. In the murky depths of the water the kidnapped occupants desperately struggle to escape.

Cast

Regular cast

Richard Hillman - Brian Capron
Gail Hillman - Helen Worth
Kevin Webster - Michael Le Vell
Tommy Nelson - Thomas Craig
Katy Nelson - Lucy-Jo Hudson
Mick Hopwood - Ian Gain
Janice Battersby - Vicky Entwistle
David Platt - Jack P. Shepherd
Sarah Platt - Tina O'Brien
Harry Flagg - Iain Rogerson
Audrey Roberts - Sue Nicholls
Archie Shuttleworth - Roy Hudd
Martin Platt - Sean Wilson
Norris Cole - Malcolm Hebden
Rita Sullivan - Barbara Knox
Angela Nelson - Kathryn Hunt
Bethany Platt - Amy & Emily Walton (Uncredited)

Guest cast

None

Places

Coronation Street
Rovers Return Inn - Public
6 Coronation Street - Downstairs rooms
8 Coronation Street - Downstairs rooms and garage
Unknown streets in Weatherfield
Weatherfield Canal

Notes

Richard Hammatt was credited as the Stunt Co-ordinator on this episode.
The scene of the car driving into the Weatherfield Canal was recorded at the Portland Basin in Ashton-under-Lyne. The car speeds down Portland Street South before turning into the basin. The same location was used in Episode 6676 (31st October 2007) when David Platt recreated the plunge.
The music playing in the car is the "You and Me Song" by the Swedish group The Wannadies, and was also reused in Episode 6676.
TV Times synopsis: Richard takes his family on a murderous mystery tour.
Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 17,840,000 viewers (1st place).
This episode was included in the Network DVD collection Coronation Street: The Best of 2000-2009, released on 31st October 2011.

Notable dialogue

Richard Hillman: "It's them out there that want to hurt us. They'll never leave us alone. They'll never let us get on with our lives. And if we can't live together as a family then the only choice is we'll die together as a family."

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Richard Hillman: (Just prior to the car hitting the water) "This is it... I love you."

March 2003 episodes
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 ==Plot==
-[[Richard Hillman|Richard]] ties up [[Gail Hillman|Gail]], [[Sarah Platt|Sarah]], [[David Platt|David]] and [[Bethany Platt|Bethany]] with gaffer tape and puts them in the car in the garage. He leaves a written confession in an envelope on the side in the living room. He explains to Gail that he always wants to be by her side and that he loves her and the kids. Gail realises that Richard is intent on a suicide pact and fears for the worst. They are all in the car in the garage and Richard switches on the engine. [[Audrey Roberts|Audrey]] calls round to see Gail, there's no reply. Audrey is concerned. [[Martin Platt|Martin]] comes over and they hear the running engine in the garage and realise that Richard is trying to kill the whole [[Platt family|family]]. [[Tommy Nelson|Tommy]] and [[Kevin Webster|Kevin]] force the garage door open. Richard in desperation drives at them. Tommy, Kevin and Martin give chase in another car. [[Katy Nelson|Katy]] phones the police. [[Norris Cole|Norris]] who's seen the whole thing tells everyone in the [[Rovers]] what's going on. Sarah and David manage to cut themselves free with some nail scissors, but it's too late; Richard drives to the canal-side and straight off the end. The car plunges into the [[Weatherfield Canal|canal]]. In the murky depths of the water the kidnapped occupants desperately struggle to escape.
+[[Richard Hillman|Richard]] tells [[Gail Hillman|Gail]] he can't live without her, and refuses to consider giving himself up to the police. He ties her up with gaffer tape and leaves a written confession in an envelope on the side in the living room absolving her of any responsibility for his crimes. Gail is able to pick up a pair of nail scissors without Richard noticing. He explains to Gail that he always wants to be by her side and that he loves her and the kids. Gail realises that Richard is intent on a suicide pact and fears for the worst. She is led to the garage where she finds [[Sarah Platt|Sarah]] and [[David Platt|David]] tied up with tape and gagged in the back seat of the car while [[Bethany Platt|Bethany]] is asleep having been given sedatives. Gail asks to give a goodbye kiss to the children and uses the opportunity to pass the scissors to Sarah. Gail is then gagged and put in the front seat and Richard switches on the engine. He switches on the radio playing songs from their holiday in [[Florida]] as Sarah tries to free David. [[Audrey Roberts|Audrey]] calls round to see Gail, there's no reply and the door is bolted from the inside. Audrey is concerned. [[Martin Platt|Martin]] comes over and they hear the music and running engine in the garage and realise that Richard is trying to kill the whole [[Platt family|family]]. [[Tommy Nelson|Tommy]] and [[Kevin Webster|Kevin]] force the garage door open. Richard in desperation drives at them. Tommy, Kevin and Martin give chase in another car. [[Katy Nelson|Katy]] phones the police. [[Norris Cole|Norris]] who's seen the whole thing tells everyone in the [[Rovers]] what's going on. Sarah and David manage to free themselves and David fights with Richard for control of the wheel while Sarah frees Gail, but it's too late; Richard drives to the canal-side and straight off the end. The car plunges into the [[Weatherfield Canal|canal]]. In the murky depths of the water the kidnapped occupants desperately struggle to escape.
 ==Cast==
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 [[Category:2003 episodes]]
 [[Category:Episodes released on DVD]]
+[[Category:Episodes on BritBox|Episode 05459]]