Rik Mayall’s torrid affair ripped apart his long-term relationship and ended in tragedy. The Bottom star, who died in 2014 at the age of just 56, fell for his Young Ones co-creator Lise Mayer when the pair started working together. But for Lise – who also found fame working on everything from Casualty to The Borrowers – the romance would end in the most tragic way.

Rik and Lise first met at Manchester University, where her dad David was a tutor. The pair struck up a romance, and eventually Lise fell pregnant with Rik’s first child. But in a twist of fate, it turns out he was cheating on her – and his mistress was also pregnant at the same time.

In 1981, while the comedy star was still loved up with Lise, Rik met Scottish make-up artist Barbara Robbin while they were both working on A Kick Up the Eighties. The pair soon struck up a secret affair which lasted until 1985, when Barbara announced she was pregnant, and Rik left Lise for her.

The pair decided to elope to Barbados, and went on to welcome three children together throughout their marriage. Tragically, Lise lost her own baby to a miscarriage.

Rik confessed later: “Oh, I gave Lise the house! I suppose it wasn't very nice at the time, but she's forgiven me now. It's all water under the bridge. I don't feel at all guilty. I had to follow my heart. I was living with Lise but I was in love with Barbara. We carried on the affair in secret for five years, until Barbara became pregnant.”

Rik found out about the pregnancy while shopping with Lise and Ben Elton in the January sales, and promised Barbara: “I’ll be on the next train.” He went on: “I told Lise and Ben that I wasn't feeling very well and that I was going home. I just said 'Bye' to Lise and didn't tell her I was leaving her.

“I jumped in a cab, packed a case and my passport and got on a train to Glasgow. Barbara came running down the platform to meet me - I'm choking up when I think of it now. Then we flew out to Barbados and got married.”

Rik maintained he “did the right thing” by going with his heart. As for why Barbara fell for him in the first place, he said she “fell in love” with his character Kevin Turvey, and even asked him to do the accent in bed.

Rik and Barbara welcomed three kids together – Rosie, Sidney and Bonnie. Lise, meanwhile, went on to welcome a son with her partner Angus Deayton, who she split from in 2015.