Ritchie leaves his home on the Isle of Wight to pursue a career in acting, much to his parents' dismay. He ends up at university and meets Jill — who later becomes the mother of their group — as she encourages him to pursue his theatrical dreams. Through this, he meets Ash, who becomes one of his housemates at the Pink Palace, and Ritchie begins to explore his sexuality through the various boys he meets on nights out.
In the third episode, Ritchie meets a fellow actor and, after a few nights together, spots brown patches on his skin, which are signs of HIV. He gets tested, and the virus turns into AIDS. His family soon discover he's unwell in the hospital, and because they still feel angry that he left them, they insist on taking him back home with them. Unfortunately, his parents refuse to let him see any of his friends, and he passes away at home in the final episode.
Image Source: Channel 4