Overview
- Appearing on ITV's Loose Women on Friday, the actor said acting "saved" him as he discussed being on the autistic spectrum.
- He shared that he was diagnosed with autism at nine and did not use words for communication until age 10, relying on sounds, movement and communication cards.
- Riches credited drama classes, encouraged by his nan, with helping him gain confidence and develop speech by adopting accents and working through characters.
- At 23, he now plays Lewis Barton on Emmerdale, a character portrayed as both autistic and gay.
- He said he aims to "fly the flag" for his communities and to tell positive autistic stories through his work, building on his Heartstopper profile.