Riches creator: ‘This is my love letter to Black London with immigrant grit’-Pierra Willix-Entertainment – Metro

Riches will premiere on ITVX in December (Picture: ITV)

Seeing Black skin ‘beautifully lit’ was one of the main priorities for Abby Ajayi when seeing her script for the upcoming drama series Riches.

A Fulbright Scholar, Abby studied screen writing in New York before going on to write episodes for shows like EastEnders, Holby City and Hollyoaks, before going on to work on shows like How To Get Away With Murder, Inventing Anna and The First Lady.

Now, she is at the helm of what looks to be a gripping exploration into wealth and power dynamics within a family who is shaken to its core after a sudden death.

In what could be the British answer to the dysfunctional Roy family of Succession fame, Riches follows the exploits of the super-successful, and super-privileged, Richards family led by London based business mogul Stephen Richards (Hugh Quarshie).

But when the patriarch suffers a sudden stroke and his family are left in disarray following the return of his estranged American son and daughter, a showdown is set to happen and his wife Claudia (Sarah Niles) isn’t willing to give up control of the family black hair and beauty empire, Flair & Glory.

The six-part drama spans London and New York, but when it came to seeing the British capital and it’s inhabitants on screen, Abby had some very clear plans in place.

Describing her series as ‘a love letter to Black London’, Abby spoke about the show at the recent launch of ITVX, the new streaming service where it will be available to watch from later this month.

‘I had so much fun writing it and it was so important for me to put Black Brits on screen and for the series to celebrate joy, fun and the immigrant grit,’ she said.

‘Seeing Black Brits in London on screen in a way that I don’t often get to experience in the UK…it was really important for me to get into these characters and show their lives, failing, messing up, but with a sense of purpose and agency for them.’

Abby Ajayi calls her show ‘a love letter to Black London’ (Picture: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock for PEOPLE)

With many of the scenes happening at night or under the cover of darkness, Abby said it was a very conscious decision to create a unique look for the series, which Hugh said was reminiscent of ‘film noir’.

‘I’ve dubbed this TV noir, not only because it is a predominately Black cast but because it is like film noir when you see polarities,’ he said.

‘A lot of scenes happen at night or in darkness and the main character isn’t exactly a model of virtue.’

As Abby added: ‘I wanted to see London looking incredible and wanted to shoot it like it was New York.

‘I didn’t want to see a single umbrella or rain or grey skies. It was about achieving that, but also with a predominately black ensemble.

‘They were beautifully lit and we’ve showcased how beautiful they all are.’

While we might love to hate the Richards, Abby said they might hit a little too close to home at times.

‘I think we will recognise them,’ she laughed.

‘I think one of the ways around [writing about] this wealthy world was sharing the way in which they are like us.

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‘We’ve got annoying brothers, infuriating mothers, Daddy issues and so I think we will recognise our own siblings, our own selves and our own families in them.

‘In the same way you love your family but sometimes want to send them off to an island somewhere, that is what you take from the show.’

Riches is streaming from December 22 on ITVX.

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