Richard was born and raised in rural Yorkshire where he trained in directing and performance at York University.

His career as an actor has been a diverse one, beginning when he was just eight years old. After winning a regular role in the long running kids TV drama 'Children’s Ward', he went on to play Nick in Coronation Street for several months and followed this up by appearing with Diana Rigg in Simon Langton’s Mother Love. Richard has also featured in popular shows such as The Bill, Casualty, Taggart, A Touch of Frost and Kay Mellor’s Award Winning drama, Band of Gold. More recently, Richard appeared in BBC’s Holby City, HBO’s Caitlin’s Way, and was a presenter on MTV:UK’s The Phone Zone. His theatre credits include, Macbeth on the Estate (Exchange, Manchester), Some Explicit Polaroids (Theatre Royal, Stratford), Beautiful Thing and Gregory’s Girl (Hull Truck Theatre).

Richard is also an accomplished writer and director. He has written numerous plays, winning a series of awards for his efforts, including York’s Young Playwright of the Year 2002 and the James Menzie-Kitchin Young Directors Award in the following year.

Richard currently teaches actors at London’s Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and the Brit School and is a leading practitioner in Boal’s Rainbow of Desire technique. He is also a director for Cardboard Citizens, a theatre company run by and for homeless communities. He continues to champion and nurture the performing arts in schools, colleges, young offender centres and other youth organisations and remains dedicated to working with new writers and theatre creators who do not have access to traditional or formal training routes.