Ritchie Fitzgerald was the jealous estranged husband of Samantha Failsworth. Their marriage lasted just two days, by which time Samantha had realised she'd made a big mistake. Ritchie turned up in Weatherfield when he had found out Samantha's address. Although he pleaded with her to take him back, she settled for Des Barnes. Ritchie later terrorised the pair by breaking the windows of Des's car and house with bricks. By February 1998, Ritchie had finally realised that there was no future for him and Samantha and agreed to give her a divorce.