Riches: Deborah Ayorinde stars in Prime Video trailer
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Abby Ajayi’s lavish and compelling family drama is the latest streaming series spearheading the launch of the new streaming service ITVX this year. Also available to international viewers on Prime Video, the creator and writer has revealed she has already started to think about where Claudia Richards (played by Sarah Niles) and her family could be headed in season two.
Both Abby and main cast member Hugh Quarshie were enthusiastic about what future seasons of Riches could bring.
The drama kicked off this week by introducing viewers to the highly successful Richards family, who own an internationally renowned hair and beauty business.
In the first episode, the Richards are thrown into uncharted territory when Stephen (Hugh) dies from a heart attack.
Comparisons have already been made to the hit HBO drama Succession, although Abby actually took more inspiration from earlier family dramas.
Hugh said: “I’m encouraged by the reference to Dallas and Dynasty to hope that Abby will write a second series in which Stephen comes back from the grave!”
For now, though, Abby is just focussing on making sure Riches’ first season is as successful as possible before making plans for a follow-up.
At the series’ premiere in London, she told press: “At every point you’re sitting at your laptop, usually in your pyjamas, talking to imaginary people. You just have to go with it.
“The doubts are always going to be there, but at that point, I’m just entertaining myself. I’m writing what I want to see as an audience.”
“I hope it does incredibly well,” she added. “For ITVX, for us. I hope it’s a harbinger for the next season.
“But I can’t control that, so I tend to try and push that as far away as possible.”
The question of future instalments also arose when Abby was asked how she settled on Richards as the surname of choice for the central Nigerian family.
The cast explained there are plenty of black British families with more traditional English surnames, although the showrunner said viewers could eventually find out more about their origins.
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She teased: “Ultimately I went with [Richards] but I guess there’s a story idea for season two for the choice of name.
“If we ever get a bit more into Stephen’s background we might understand that name a bit more.
Hugh then quipped: “It will all become clear in the prequel!”
Stephen’s heart attack in the first episode of Riches may lead fans to believe Hugh won’t be playing a major part in the series going forward.
However, the veteran actor seemed keen to reprise his role in flashbacks if Riches continues.
“Absolutely, we’ve definitely constructed the series with a view to continuing those stories,” Abby added.
“As much as there’s the glam, the fun, and the business and all the stuff they’re going to deal with, they’re all on very personal, emotional journeys.
“All of our characters are at the beginning of a story which isn’t fully resolved by the end of these six episodes so hopefully we get to see more of that, and really track this family over a while, a long period.”
Whether Riches continues for two seasons or 10, the cast and creatives behind the drama are confident viewers will eventually see the Richards back on screens.
Riches is available on ITVX in the UK and Prime Video in the USA.
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