Riches cast: Meet the characters in the ITV drama
Everything you need to know.
When the CEO of Black hair and beauty brand Flair & Glory suddenly dies in ITV drama Riches, his family is split in two as the warring factions battle it out to gain control.
"We have stories about the business and the fight to save Flair & Glory and yet, at its core, the show is about very relatable relationships — sibling rivalry, complicated matriarchs, messy blended families," said creator and writer Abby Ajayi (How to Get Away with Murder).
"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."
Read more:
- Riches on ITVX is unlike anything else on British television
- Hugh Quarshie on wealth of diversity in Riches and almost quitting acting before Holby City
The cast of Riches is a mixture of screen veterans and shiny new talent. Read on for everything you need to know about the series' major players.
Riches main cast
- Deborah Ayorinde as Nina
- Hugh Quarshie as Stephen
- Sarah Niles as Claudia
- Ola Orebiyi as Gus
- Adeyinka Akinrinade as Alesha
- Nneka Okoye as Wanda
- Emmanuel Imani as Simon
- CJ Beckford as Andre
- Brendan Coyle as Gideon
- Hermione Norris as Maureen
Deborah Ayorinde as Nina
Who is Nina? She is Stephen's oldest child, who has been estranged from her father for years. Nina is "ambitious, intelligent and headstrong" and has just been promoted to VP by her employers in New York when she unexpectedly inherits Flair. Initially, she has no interest in taking on the company, but heavy opposition from certain family members galvanises her to accept the offer.
Where have I seen Deborah Ayorinde before? You might recognise her from Prime Video's Them, Truth Be Told on Apple TV+ and Netflix's Luke Cage.
Hugh Quarshie as Stephen
Who is Stephen? He "built Flair & Glory into a market-leading, Black hair and cosmetics brand". Stephen is described as "mercurial, secretive and ruthless, and the ripple created by his death and the terms of his will echo through the first season".
Where have I seen Hugh Quarshie before? He's best known for starring in Holby City and ITV drama Stephen.
Sarah Niles as Claudia
Who is Claudia? Stephen's second wife. Their marriage was an "emotional minefield", with both parties having affairs. Claudia is "brash, flashy and outspoken" and is determined to wrench Flair out of Nina's hands, whatever it takes.
Where have I seen Sarah Niles before? You might have watched her in comedies Ted Lasso and Catastrophe.
Ola Orebiyi as Gus
Who is Gus? He was given the role as Deputy CEO of Flair by his father as a prelude to taking the top job, but everything changes after the reading of the will. Gus is the middle child and "lacks the dynamism and charisma of his sisters, and is a people pleaser, always trying to keep the peace". He doesn't have "his father's cutthroat, killer instinct in business".
Where have I seen Ola Orebiyi before? He starred in romcom feature A Brixton Tale and comedy-drama Limbo.
Adeyinka Akinrinade as Alesha
Who is Alesha? Alesha is the the first-born child from Stephen's second marriage and she had a strained relationship with her father. She's a beauty influencer, which isn't taken seriously by her immediate family, but Nina sees her potential and tries to get her on side.
Where have I Adeyinka Akinrinade before? She's had minor roles in BBC drama Everything I Know About Love, fantasy series A Discovery of Witches, Grantchester and Top Boy.
Nneka Okoye as Wanda
Who is Wanda? The youngest child and a "self-proclaimed daddy's girl" who has a privileged life entirely funded by Stephen. Wanda has no real interest in the family business but wants Nina and Simon out.
Where have I seen Nneka Okoye before? She has appeared in teen thriller The A List and sketch show Every Blank Ever.
Emmanuel Imani as Simon
Who is Simon? A highly sought after celebrity hairstylist who encourages Nina to go to her dad's funeral. But as she starts to warm to the idea of staying in the UK, he sees his life back in the US.
Where have I seen Emmanuel Imani before? His CV includes Prime Video's The Wheel of Time, political thriller Cobra and BBC drama Black Earth Rising.
CJ Beckford as Andre
Who is Andre? Flair's CFO and Claudia's secret bit on the side. He's described as "smart and wily with a playbook gleaned from Machiavelli and The 48 Laws Of Power".
Where have I seen CJ Beckford before? You might have watched him in BBC film Sitting in Limbo.
Brendan Coyle as Gideon
Who is Gideon? He was previously legal counsel and CFO for Flair before Claudia ousted him. Gideon is now the executor of Stephen's will.
Where have I seen Brendan Coyle before? Most people know him as John Bates in Downton Abbey and BBC drama Lark Rise to Candleford.
Hermione Norris as Maureen
Who is Maureen? She was Stephen's secretary for two decades and is the "keeper" of his secrets.
Where have I seen Hermione Norris before? She's best known for Spooks, Cold Feet and Wire in the Blood.
Other cast members include:
- Jourdan Dunn as Davina Chase - A Flair & Glory employee
- Paul Forman (Emily in Paris) as Luke - Wanda's boyfriend
- Jumoke Fashola (Hard Cell) as Oyin - Nina and Simon's mother
- Trevor Kaneswaran (Clean Sweep) as Rishi Mehta - A man Nina meets via a dating app
- Saffron Hocking (Top Boy) as Sasha - She catches Gus's eye while working in a bar
Riches airs on Friday 30th June at 9pm on ITV1. For more news, interviews and features, visit our Drama hub, or find something to watch now with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
