What’s the history between Elizabeth and Richard?

When Archers listeners were asked whether Elizabeth should take Richard on a mini-break 70%* of those who voted said she should. If only Elizabeth would be so definite.

Rewind a few months and it looked like Elizabeth and Dr Locke were gearing up for a summer of love. However, the temperature never seemed to get beyond luke-warm and now, disappointingly, it seems to have plummeted.

Though, to discover that the person you liked may have also been stringing along your married sister while also making a pass at you would surely put anyone off!

This isn’t the first time Elizabeth has had her head turned by Richard. Back in 1992, when he first arrived in Ambridge, a 25-year-old Elizabeth took interest in the dashing doctor.

A lovelorn Nigel – who had already patiently waited in the wings during Elizabeth’s relationship with Robin Fairbrother – lamented Elizabeth’s fondness for Richard. But nothing was to come of it. At that time, Richard has his eye on Debbie.

Find out more about Richard Locke

Elizabeth eventually married Nigel on 29 September 1994. It was altogether a happy union – apart from that time Nigel ended up in a Spanish prison but let’s not go there – Nigel was besotted with Elizabeth and together, as well as having twins Lily and Freddie, the two of them grew the Lower Loxley brand.

Nigel’s unexpected death in January 2011 was a huge blow to his wife and the whole of Ambridge. In the years that followed, Elizabeth focused on her children and running Lower Loxley. But in 2013, Elizabeth became close with Iftikar Shah, the cricket coach who also tutored Freddie in Maths. They shared a kiss after having dinner together one evening but immediately it didn’t feel right for Elizabeth. A couple of months later, Freddie’s tutoring was complete and Ifty walked away from Ambridge.

The following year Elizabeth embarked on a more eventful liaison. While at Greenbury Fields Festival, gathering research for her own Loxfest, Elizabeth got together with Roy. At the time, he was her employee and he was married. Fair to say it wasn’t going to last! And once Freddie caught the two of them hugging, Elizabeth decided – for the sake of her children – she had to call it off. But what had happened couldn’t be undone nor kept under wraps and as a result Roy lost his job and his family. His ex-wife Hayley and their daughter Abbie now live in Birmingham.

Listen to Hayley confront Elizabeth about the affair

Richard’s reappearance must have been an interesting prospect for Elizabeth. A familiar face, which takes her back to her 20s, and yet he is unconnected in Ambridge. (If we look into Richard’s past there are actually a number of old ties with Ambridge residents but that’s for another time!) Is now the right time for Elizabeth? And is Richard the right man?

* You can take part in a different Archers vote every week.