It’s over for Riches.
Riches creator Abby Ajayi announced on her Instagram account that her show about a wealthy Black British family has been canceled. The series aired on Prime Video in the United States and other territories while it was on ITV in the UK.
“This time last year we launched. Much love to this incredible ensemble of actors and our fabulous crew,” she wrote. “Thank you to everyone who supported. So proud we got to make this show. I still had many more stories to tell…And it was gonna be [fire].”
Many fans, including other Black television creators, reacted to the news on Ajayi’s post, including Bob Hearts Abishola creator Gina Yashere.
“We binged the entire thing in one night, then waited patiently,” she wrote. “The execs who make these decisions…..uggggh.”
The Challenge: Aftermath‘s Devyn Simone also weighed in, writing, “You create such beautiful work Abby.”
Riches star Adeyinka Akinirnade also responded to the news, writing, “Thank you for telling this story.”
BBC Radio presenter Jomoke Fashola, who also starred in Riches, wrote, “Such a privilege to have been part of the cast of this show…what a vision you had @abbyajayi. And the Yoruba was authentic!”
A fan of the series chimed in with a perspective that a lot of fans probably share.
“This is deeply disappointing. Anything intelligent and uplifting for Black people gets canceled,” they wrote. “While I know there’s an audience for certain types of shows, we are so much more than drug dealers, criminals and reality show caricatures. This is NOT okay. This was an EXCELLENT show!”
This sentiment is something that is loosely addressed in Riches star Emmanuel Imani had to say about starring in the series.
“Unfortunately, in the U.K., we’re not there yet where America is in terms of seeing this representation and being given characters that are of color and are beyond just two dimensional,” he said to Shadow and Act in 2022. “Never find out why they’re doing what they’re doing, who they’re supporting at home, and what journey they’ve been on. Our fantastic showrunner, Abby, gives everybody some truth and a journey, a path, a story, and a backstory. She’s breathed life into these characters in such a way, and then we take it further. But yeah, it’s incredible to be a part of something like this that’s never been done out of the U.K., quite frankly, ever.”
Another fan also echoed the sadness surrounding the series’ cancellation, but they also suggested that perhaps Riches could find another studio. This isn’t a farfetched suggestion, since several series have found new life elsewhere. If the outcry is strong enough, perhaps Riches could find a new home yet. But that remains to be seen.
