New high stakes ITV drama Riches – about a successful, black British family promises to bring the drama – prepare to be addicted…
Writer/director Abby Ajayi is bringing a show to ITV, about a rich London family and their various escapades, which is sure to get us talking. Rich people, behaving badly? What’s not to love!
As she explains, she has always been fascinated by ‘brash, glamorous, American series like Dynasty and Dallas’, as well as shows about ‘family businesses and how the tensions, flowing from boardroom to sitting room, fray and jeopardise relationships.’
As Burt Reynolds once said, Ajayi muses, “You can be poor and unhappy or you can be rich and unhappy, I’d rather be rich and unhappy.” She continues, ‘Rich, unhappy people make for great television and in creating Riches, I set out to tell a story about a successful, black, British family who prove that money can buy all sorts of things, but happiness isn’t always on the table. ‘
So, what is the story? Well, Riches centres of the complicated lives of members of the Richards family. For more than twenty years, their hair and cosmetics empire, Flair & Glory, has dominated the hair and beauty scene – and the story begins with the shock, unexpected death of patriarch, Stephn.
Stephen’s second wife, Claudia, fully expects that their adult children ALESHA, GUS and WANDA will inherit the business but when Stephen’s will unexpectedly bequeaths the controlling interest in the business to Nina and Simon, the children of his first marriage, the scene is set for a messy showdown – with both factions of the family vying for control…
Ajayi continues, ‘The appetite for black British stories has always been there and it has been thrilling to create the Richards family and celebrate their opulence, their ambition, and their immigrant grit… I hope audiences will fall in love with the Richards family.’
Here, we catch up with one of the show’s lead actresses, Deborah Ayorinde, who plays Nina…
‘People will enjoy Nina’s hook-ups!’
Image: @itsdeborah
Deborah, what drew you to Riches?
The similarities between Nina’s story and my personal story. When I first met Abby, I said, ‘Have you been reading my diary?’ – a lot of elements here are my story, my actual story. I’m also very protective over how Black women are portrayed on screen. In reading the script it just felt like it came from another Black woman and also another Black woman who gets it. A person who gets it.
What do you like/ dislike about Nina?
What I like the most about Nina is she is a powerful woman, strong and smart and sexy and feminine. I think a lot of times from my vantage point, when powerful women are often portrayed on screen, they’re often portrayed as being masculine, or mothers. Those are not the only representations of powerful women. So, I love that she represents a powerful woman who’s still very in tune with her femininity. What I dislike about Nina is she’s only truly vulnerable with one person so far – her brother, Simon. But she’s working on being more vulnerable. She’s taken out of her comfort zone, that forces her to explore who she is.
Tell us about Flair & Glory and the empire that Stephen’s built?
Flair & Glory is a successful beauty brand that has products in the beauty market, the hair market, the skin care market, the make-up market, they have done well. The conception is that Stephen started it, but really Stephen’s first wife, Nina’s mother started it. And Nina was there during the inception of this business. In the Black community, hair and beauty is how we express ourselves, how we introduce ourselves before we even say our name. I think Flair & Glory is an example of taking that business back into their own hands of the family and navigating that. It’s very cool.
What are the main themes?
A theme that first comes to mind is powerful women who really love men, but don’t necessarily need them. They’re very self-sufficient. The men in this are kind of following their lead. I think the theme of family is definitely prominent, but it shows that every family has their stuff, no matter whether you’re rich or poor. We’re all human. We have family drama, we have people don’t get along with, messiness.
Talk to us about Nina taking over the family business…
Picking up where her father left off was almost like her setting the record straight. Her mother started the business, he took it to another level and included Claudia – it looks like it’s his and Claudia’s, but after a while it becomes about something deeper for Nina, a huge longing for belonging. This business is that for her. London is that for her as well, finding her place in life. So, I think that’s a beautiful journey. With ups and downs and craziness and messiness.
What scenes did you enjoy most?
I think people will enjoy Nina’s hook-ups! I haven’t seen them yet, but I think they’re kind of hot. People will enjoy scenes with the whole family. We just love each other so much. Also, any scenes that put our Nigerian culture, front and centre.. You don’t see that often on screen. And you know, hearing Yoruba on screen I think will be special. I’m not fluent in Yoruba. Of all of us, the family, except for Sarah are all Nigerian. Manne and Ola are fluent in Yoruba. So, they’ll try and teach us. Sarah will say it back. Let me tell you, it sounds beautiful coming out of her mouth. I’m learning, but they go back and forth… To have that on screen is special.
Riches will air weekly on ITV1 from Friday, 30th June.
