Rich (Skins series 6)

Lore & Background

Rich Hardbeck is barred from visiting his girlfriend Grace in hospital by her father, Professor David Blood. Despite attempts by his friend Alo to distract him with band practice, Rich remains fixated on Grace. He eventually receives a phone call from her, sneaks into the hospital through a vent, and reunites with her briefly before Blood has him removed and announces he is moving Grace to a hospital in Zurich. Rich goes to Blood's house to appeal but finds the family has already left; he breaks in and spends days watching Grace's baby videos.

Reader's Guide

Days later, Alo finds Rich squatting in the Bloods' house and offers support, but their friendship fractures when Rich discovers Alo is having sex with Mini. Rich's rage leads him to destroy band instruments and fight Alo. Depressed, Rich contacts Liv, who learns Grace has awakened from her coma. With Franky, they plan to go to Paris to find Grace. Alo arranges a gig at the Bloods' house to raise money for the trip. During the gig, Rich sees Grace in the crowd, follows her to her room, and they have sex. The next morning, Rich wakes alone to find the house wrecked. He answers a phone call from Grace, who speaks cryptically before the call ends and the phone breaks. Professor Blood returns and reveals Grace never came out of her coma—Rich's visions and calls were hallucinations—and that Grace has died.

Did You Know?

• The episode was filmed in September 2011.
• Rich breaks into Grace's hospital room through a vent.
• Rich hallucinates phone calls and a sexual encounter with Grace after her death.
• Professor Blood moves Grace to a hospital in Zurich.