In 1976 Jo Richardson, who played Rita Witton in Crossroads, suddenly died. How has remained a mystery ever since.

In the Russell T. Davies penned ‘Nolly‘ drama for ITV, which looked at the life of Crossroads‘ leading lady Noele Gordon, a scene mentions Jo Richardson and how no one knows whether her death was an accident or murder. At the time the press reported how it was a terrible accident at sea while Jo and her husband Michael – who also died – were on holiday at the up-and-coming Seychelles.

She and her husband Michael drowned in a boating accident, reported The Coventry Evening Telegraph. While The Express and Star reported the couple had taken a walk along the cliffs, one likely to have fallen into the sea and the other died in a failed rescue attempt. The papers report Jo’s husband was found bruised and fully clothed one mile out in the Indian Ocean, and his body recovered by a fisherman.

The couple were having two weeks in the sun along with their two children – Jane who was 11 and David who was thirteen. At the time Crossroads, airing in the daytime schedules, was riding high in the television ratings, at times even beating prime time programmes, so this news made many national and regional newspaper front pages. Something Jo and Michael’s daughter Jane, believes why there was a ‘cover up’ by the authorities and ATV.

In 2009 Jane wrote to us stating:

“The ‘accidental death of Jo Richardson’. I am her daughter and some 33-years-on, I have never had closure to my mother’s death. I should just clarify that she did not go for a swim (she could not swim!), she did not go in a boat either.

“Dad and mum left for a walk after breakfast on Tuesday, 10th of August 1976, leaving myself, then eleven and my brother who was 13. Neither returned. Later that night, the hotel doctor informed us dad had been found in the sea, drowned.

“They were searching for mum. We stayed there till the Thursday evening, and in that time, my father’s body had been buried within 24-hours without a postmortem and before his parents even knew.

“Dad was a strong swimmer but would never have taken mum near the water. His body was apparently very bruised, as if falling off a cliff. His watch, wallet and rings were not on his body when found! They would not have fallen off, water swells the body making it an impossibility.

“I will never let it rest. My brother and other family members don’t want to know. But I do, even after all this time. This was no accident, and definitely not a suicide, as one forum suggests. I am at a loss as to how I can prove this was (as I think) foul play.

“[At the time of the deaths] the Seychelles had just gained their independence and covered up the entire investigation. It was up-and-coming as a holiday destination, and this story, had the truth come out could have tarnished its tourism.

“It was not a freak accident. Both my parents were intelligent, successful and loving people and would never have deserted their children. Someone has blood on their hands and its something I have lived with every day. But what can I do to find out the truth, so many years on? I only have the newspaper reports and none could, or did, bring any light on the mater, just speculation (as the media tends to do!)”

In 2011 we spoke to Jane Rossington about this incident. Jane recalled that certainly within ATV at the time it was noted the deaths had been deemed suspicious and the television company had been ‘told’ by authorities dealing with the incident to, in any statements, describe the demise of Jo and Michael as ‘an accident’.

In 1994 Elisabeth Croft wrote in a letter a little of what she remembered of that summer of ’76.

“…that’s a tragic story. She and her husband had gone for a holiday to one of those tropical islands which were taking off at that time, a real luxury trip where there was a smart hotel set in lush surroundings. They went out one morning and never returned…

“It was presumed that they had an accident and had fallen into the sea, misadventure?… We knew that in real life ‘Mrs Witton’ always wore a lot of gold jewellery. Bracelets, necklaces, rings etc. It was her style… We wondered if they had gone for a quiet stroll had they been mugged and possibly murdered?”

To date it remains unsolved as to what really happened and the events leading up to the deaths. However, piecing together what Jane Rossington recalled, the letter from Elisabeth Croft and the information from Jo’s daughter – it certainly seems anything other than an accident.

In Crossroads Jo, who was 40 when she died, played Rita Witton a busybody who worked at the motel as a cleaner and receptionist. At the time of her life ending, she had already been part of several main storylines, and a number of episodes featuring her were broadcast following her death.

She first auditioned for Crossroads in 1966, expecting to be in just a couple of episodes. The character of ‘bitchy Witton’ however took off and for the five years up to her holiday had been a regular key character. Jo Richardson began her career in entertainment with the Ballet Rambert, as well as a regular amateur dramatics performer. Later she had a long association with the Swan Theatre in Worcester. She starred in The Tinder Box in 1967 alongside Gay Soper, Julia Mckenzie and Sheila Ruskin at the playhouse.

Off screen Jo was noted as being nothing like her on-screen persona proving a popular cast member at the ATV Studios in Birmingham. In her spare time, she worked as a marriage guidance councillor and had just prior to her death completed a course in psychology at Birmingham University. Her husband Michael had been a sales executive with building company in Handsworth. He was noted as being a keen cricketer and golfer. Jo’s body was never found.

 Jo, along with serial co-star Zeph Gladstone, had been scheduled to appear at ‘Metro ’76’ at the Edinburgh Festival on September 4th and 5th. Zeph appeared alone at the event. A private memorial service for Jo and Michael was held on the 4th October 1976 at Birmingham Cathedral, organised by ATV.

Speaking at the service Noele Gordon said, ‘Mrs Witton was a shrew, she gossiped, she was unsympathetic, she caused trouble. She believed the worst of everybody in every situation. Our Jo was quiet, reassuring and the most loyal of friends.’

“The newspapers all have different stories, some says they were in a boat, others say they fell off cliffs. The fisherman who found Michael said he was bruised and fully clothed and was missing all his personal items. It is incredibly odd. The fact the one body that was found was buried swiftly adds to the suspicion.

“It is at the very least, questionable activity from the authorities at the time. But now, all these years on, will any documents or details survive that could shed some light on the actual events that led to the deaths of Jo and her husband?” – Crossroads Fan Club spokesperson

Information from Jane Richardson in 2009, an interview with Jane Rossington by Maria Brabiner and Mike Garrett in 2011 and a letter sent to a fan club member, Andy Broughton, in 1994. Images via ITV Image Archive via James Feltham, Rob Wilde and CAS Archive.