when Bianca begins to treat Ricky badly, he begins an affair with her best friend Natalie Price (Lucy Speed), in 1995. Natalie falls in love with Ricky and sets it up so that Bianca catches them kissing. Furious, Bianca finishes with Ricky, cutting up all his clothes and, after Ricky rejects Natalie, she flees Walford. Bianca eventually forgives Ricky and they reunite. Bianca strays with Lenny Wallace (Des Coleman), but immediately realises her mistake and marries Ricky on 17 April 1997. Later that year Bianca falls pregnant, but a prenatal scan reveals her unborn baby has both spina bifida and hydrocephalus; the Butchers decide to terminate the pregnancy. The trauma devastates them both, but it does bring them closer and in September 1998 Bianca discovers she has fallen pregnant again, resulting in her prematurely giving birth to their son Liam on Christmas Day 1998. The following year, Ricky becomes acquainted with Bianca's mother Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson) and her boyfriend Dan Sullivan (Craig Fairbrass). He quickly gets along with the pair, but this changes when Carol tells him that Bianca and Dan have embarked on an affair - as the pair had previously had a relationship in Spain, prior to Dan falling in love with Carol. When the affair becomes public knowledge, the Butchers' marriage ends and Bianca departs with Liam for Manchester. Ricky, devastated by his marriage breakdown, begins to clash with Dan when the latter taunts him - as well as becoming unhappy with his own life and work. This escalates when Ricky learns that Phil has recently befriended Dan, who later tells Ricky that Phil and Roy have been working together on a motor scam. In response, Ricky confronts Phil and the two have an argument as Ricky attempts to leave Walford. Phil apologizes to Ricky for hurting him and promises that he'll deal with Dan for him. Ricky initially agrees to return to Walford, but secretly leaves without Phil's consent. "Ricky & Bianca" In May 2002, Ricky arrives to Bianca’s flat in Manchester to visit Liam alongside his fiancée - Cassie. He discovers that Bianca has stolen £50,000 of drug money from her boss, Vince. An unimpressed Ricky convinces Bianca to return the money before she gets hurt. Vince sends the pair to a drug deal which is a set up. Ricky and Bianca escape to a hotel where they briefly rekindle their romance. Bianca reveals