Broadcaster, Comedian, Actor and Writer - Creator of Citizen Khan
Today, Adil Ray OBE is best known as the star and creator of the hit BBC1 sitcom Citizen Khan. After five series, the show has become one of Britain’s much-loved sitcoms and is now broadcast worldwide including North America, Canada, Australia, India, the Middle East and Africa. In 2016, the show hit the road with a Citizen Khan Arena tour playing at Wembley, the O2 and the Genting Arena, Birmingham. Adil also released his first book – Citizen Khan’s Guide to Britain.
To date, Adil has received five Royal Television Society Awards for his work, including Best Comedy Programme and Best Comedy Performance as well as Best TV Character at the Asian Media Awards.
In 2017, Adil ventured into drama and starred as a regular lead in Channel 4’s groundbreaking RTS nominated drama, Ackley Bridge and appeared as a regular in a the period drama for ITV – Beecham House. In 2021, Adil will appear in his first movie alongside Dame Judi Dench in the comedy, Blithe Spirit.
As well as acting and writing, television and radio presenting has remained a staple throughout Adil’s career. Adil can currently be seen presenting Good Morning Britain for ITV. He has covered many breaking news stories and landed the shows only award to date – The Golden Nymph Award at The Monte Carlo Television Festival for the coverage of the Westminster attacks. Adil has presented across all the major BBC Radio and TV networks, but is best known for his spell at the BBC Asian Network, winning the award for Best Radio Show at the Asian Music Awards.
It was during the late night slot on BBC Radio 5Live that Adil exhibited his ability to shift from comedy performer to news broadcaster when breaking stories such as the UK summer riots (2010), phone hacking and the night the UK went to war in Libya. Elsewhere, Adil has hosted a number of sports shows such as ‘Radio 4’s Test Match Special’, the legendary football phone in ‘606’ and music shows for BBC Radio 2.
Adil is also a passionate documentary maker. In 2010, Adil presented the acclaimed BBC3 documentary Exposed: Groomed for Sex. Adil received praise for the way in which he tackled the controversial issue of young girls being groomed by some Pakistani men, creating a thought provoking and brave documentary and picking up a Royal Television Society Award for Best Current Affairs.
Adil’s earlier BBC3 outing “Is It Coz I Is Black?” exploring political correctness was also RTS nominated. On the BBC2 travelogue Explore, Adil visited Argentina and Turkey. Adil also co-hosted the BBC2 arts show Desi DNA for five series and presented Tales from Europe on BBC4.
Adil has presented BBC1 flagship entertainment shows The One Show and Have I Got News For You and has also appeared on Who Do You Think You Are (tracing his roots to Ugandan royalty) Room 101, Would I Lie To You? and Pointless. Adil would rather not talk about his appearance on The Crystal Maze for Stand Up To Cancer celebrity special. Adil currently holds the fastest record for getting locked in a Crystal Maze cell, which is less than 30 seconds.
In 2016, Adil was honoured in the Queens Birthday List awarded Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to media and broadcasting.
Adil is currently developing Citizen Khan The Movie, has a film in development with Working Title and Gold, a crime`drama script commission and a period drama script in development with a UK broadcaster.
Adil is currently hosting the ITV quiz show, Lingo. One of the first British Asians to do so, in a game described as ‘brilliant play along’.
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