Coronation Street went to incredible lengths to pull off return of major villain for Christmas
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Coronation Street has pulled off a massive surprise by bringing back the infamous serial killer Richard Hillman in today's Christmas Eve episode. The businessman, portrayed by actor Brian Capron in the ITV soap, met his end in 2003 when his plot to murder Gail, Sarah, David and Bethany by drowning was foiled.
Chilling scenes at the conclusion of the episode will see Brian reprising his iconic role, returning to the cobbles 21 years after apparently dying in a canal. Gail, waking from a nap on her sofa, discovers a man rummaging through her sideboard and initially assumes it's her fiance Jessie.
However, the reality is far more terrifying. "Try again," the man suggests, adding: "I see you've changed the carpet in here.". The comeback was months in the making and was planned shortly after Helen Worth informed bosses she would be leaving the show after 50 years. The Sun has unveiled the extreme measures taken by bosses to keep the return under wraps.
In order to keep Richard's return a secret, Coronation Street bosses decided it was best to film the scenes on a closed set, with only a couple of crew, and of course, Helen. Brian also hid under blankets and ducked down in the back of the car when leaving the set.
An insider revealed: "It was a major need to know operation. Brian was sneaked on and off set in the back of a car under blankets to avoid being spotted. And his and Helen’s scenes were filmed on a closed set with a tiny number of staff to shoot it. It’s a real callback to what’s undoubtedly Gail’s biggest storyline from her time on the show and a celebration of it.”.
