Adil Ray

Ray was born in Birmingham, England, to a Punjabi Muslim father from Lahore, and an Indo-Kenyan mother.{{cite news | last= Hogan | first = Michael|title=Who Do You Think You Are? Adil Ray's odyssey to Africa was rawly emotional: review |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/07/27/do-think-adil-rays-odyssey-africa-rawly-emotional-review/|work=The Daily Telegraph| date=27 July 2017|access-date=28 July 2017}} He was brought up in the suburb of Yardley.{{cite web|url=http://www.adilray.com/biography.html|title=Adil Ray biography|publisher=adilray.com|access-date=5 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211220155/http://www.adilray.com/biography.html|archive-date=11 February 2010|url-status=dead}} Ray's father Abdul worked as a bus driver for almost forty years. His mother worked for the Immigration Appeals Department in the Civil Service and was of Buganda and Kenyan Asian ancestry.

Ray attended Yardley Junior and Infant School and Handsworth Grammar School, his first day being the day after the Handsworth Riots in 1985.{{Cite web|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/who-adil-ray-citizen-khan-15024195|title=Who is Adil Ray? Birmingham star replacing Piers Morgan on GMB|last=Rodger|first=James|date=13 August 2018|website=birminghammail|access-date=5 March 2019}} Ray was a keen cricketer and represented Birmingham and District Premier League side West Bromwich Dartmouth during the late-1980s and early-1990s. Ray graduated from the University of Huddersfield with a 2:1 BA (Hons) in Marketing in 1997.

Ray began his career as a radio host on a pirate radio station in Huddersfield while studying at the University of Huddersfield, and DJing at the university venue Eden (1992). Later, during his placement year, he got a job with a new small Asian radio station in Birmingham where he spent the first half of the year, before moving on to Choice FM (1995). In 1997, Ray landed a spot with Galaxy 105. He then joined Century Radio in Manchester, Radio Aire Leeds and Ministry of Sound Radio.

Ray joined the BBC Asian Network in 2002 to present the late night Adil Ray Show. In May 2006, Ray took over the drive time afternoon slot, and from January 2009 he presented the station's Breakfast Show from 7:00am each weekday. In 2008 The Adil Ray Show won the best radio show category at the UK Asian Music Awards.{{cite web|url=http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/entertainment/music/s/1040178_adil_ray_wins_gong_for_best_radio_show_ |title=Adil Ray wins gong for best radio show |date=10 March 2008 |publisher=Asian News |access-date=28 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516111929/http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/entertainment/music/s/1040178_adil_ray_wins_gong_for_best_radio_show_ |archive-date=16 May 2008 }}

Ray has been a regular on BBC Radio 5 Live presenting the late night show, the Football and Cricket 606 phone ins, Victoria Derbyshire, Weekend Breakfast and Fighting Talk. Ray has also fronted documentaries for BBC Radio 4, including Picturing Britain{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014j5v0_|title=Series 2, Beyond the Security Fence |date=9 October 2010 |work=www.bbc.co.uk|access-date=5 March 2013}}

and Towering Ambition.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t00st |title=Series 2, A Tale of Two Cities |date=14 July 2010 |work=www.bbc.co.uk|access-date=5 March 2013}} He has also appeared in the award-winning BBC Asian Network radio soap, Silver Street.

He also presented the British Asian Arts and Lifestyle show Desi DNA on BBC Two, and hosted the BBC Four programme Tales from Europe where he explored the 24-hour lifestyle in Madrid. In 2007, Ray presented the Royal Television Society award-nominated show Is it Cos I Is Black? for BBC Three where he looked at the issue of political correctness.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/adil-ray-be-real-and-the-rest-will-follow-naturally-890012.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226050438/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/adil-ray-be-real-and-the-rest-will-follow-naturally-890012.html |archive-date=26 December 2008 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title=Adil Ray: 'Be real, and the rest will follow naturally' – Media, News |newspaper=The Independent |date=11 August 2008 |access-date=27 August 2009}} He has also filmed a documentaries strand for BBC Two called Explore, in which he reported from Argentina and Turkey. In 2010 he appeared in the BBC Two comedy show Bellamy's People, playing characters including self-appointed "community leader" Mr Khan and Birmingham "Muslim DJ" MC Raa.{{cite web|url=http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/1189068_adil_ray_in_new_bbc_two_comedy__bellamys_people|title=Adil Ray in new BBC Two comedy|date=14 January 2010|publisher=The Asian News|access-date=5 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121071734/http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/1189068_adil_ray_in_new_bbc_two_comedy__bellamys_people|archive-date=21 January 2010|url-status=dead}}

In 2010, Ray reprised his role as Mr. Khan to feature in his own web series for BBC Comedy{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/show/p007b7j6/mr_khan/|title=BBC Comedy – Mr Khan |publisher=BBC Comedy}} to cover the UK general election. Mr. Khan returned later in the year with a follow-up BBC Comedy web series about the cricket to coincide with the Pakistan national team's visit to England that year.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/show/mrkhan|title=Mr Khan – Youtube|publisher=BBC Comedy}}

In the summer of 2010, Ray joined BBC Radio 5 Live as part of their cricket coverage, travelling to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to cover the 2011 Cricket World Cup. He can often be heard presenting the 5 Live late-night show. Ray continues to make documentaries for BBC Radio 4 including The Real Mr. Khan, a documentary looking into the role of community leaders. Ray also tackled the issue of sex and grooming in the British Pakistani community in a BBC Radio 4 documentary entitled The Sex Lives of British Pakistanis that was broadcast on 4 July 2011, as well as a highly acclaimed BBC Three documentary in December 2011 – Exposed: Groomed For Sex.

Ray continued his venture into comedy including the radio pilot Sparkhill Sound that broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 12 May 2011. A community radio station set in Birmingham. Ray was both writer and performer alongside Anil Gupta (writer), Gary Pillai, and Vineeta Rishi (cast).

In 2015, Ray guest presented three episodes of The One Show alongside Alex Jones.

In 2019, Adil hosted S58E05 of Have I Got News For You, appearing alongside team captains Paul Merton and Ian Hislop, and panellists Ivo Graham and Helen Lewis.{{Cite web |title=BBC One - Have I Got News for You, Series 58, Episode 5 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000b26t |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}} Ray also hosted S60E02 of Have I Got A Bit More News For You in 2020, alongside Merton and Hislop, with guests Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Nicky Morgan.{{Cite web |title=BBC One - Have I Got a Bit More News for You, Series 60, Episode 2 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000nh4n |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

{{Main|Citizen Khan}}

In October 2011, Ray performed the co-written comedy Citizen Khan at the BBC Salford Sitcom Showcase, centred on Ray's comedy creation Mr Khan and his long-suffering family. Commissioned as a BBC One primetime series, the Asian Muslim sitcom follows the trials and tribulations of big-hearted, loud-mouthed, tight-fisted, self-appointed community leader Mr Khan (Adil Ray) and his long-suffering family: wife Mrs Khan (Shobu Kapoor) and daughters Shazia (Maya Sondhi) and Alia (Bhavna Limbachia).

The six 30-minute episodes of Citizen Khan were commissioned by Danny Cohen, BBC One Controller, and Cheryl Taylor, Controller of Comedy Commissioning, and have been produced by BBC In-House Comedy. The Executive Producer is Mark Freeland, the Producer is Paul Schlesinger (Twenty Twelve) and the Director is Nick Wood (Fresh Meat, Not Going Out, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps). Citizen Khan is written by Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto (The Kumars at No 42, Goodness Gracious Me) with Adil Ray.{{Cite web|title=BBC One - Citizen Khan, Series 5, It's a Khanderful Life|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b086tb9s|access-date=4 February 2022|website=BBC|language=en-GB}} The series was renewed for four further series of six episodes plus a Christmas special each, ending on 23 December 2016.

In August 2018, Ray temporarily replaced Piers Morgan as a co-host on ITV's Good Morning Britain.Hunt, Amy. [https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/piers-morgan-gmb-replacement-298572/ "Viewers divided as this presenter is announced to replace Piers Morgan on GMB"], Woman & Home, 16 August 2018. Retrieved on 12 November 2019.

From February 2019, Ray has become the guest presenter for Good Morning Britain, appearing during the February, April and Summer Holidays.

In 2019, Ray played the role of Murad Beg in ITV's six-part historical drama series Beecham House. The series is set in 1795 in Delhi, India, and co-created, directed and produced by Gurinder Chadha.{{Cite web |title=ITV's Beecham House cast {{!}} Tom Bateman, Lesley Nicol, Marc Warren, Adil Ray and Dakota Blue Richards {{!}} Radio Times |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/itv-announces-star-studded-period-drama-beecham-house/ |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=www.radiotimes.com |language=en-GB}}

In 2020, Ray was scheduled twice weekly during the summer holidays in July and August, covering for the main presenters during their summer break. During this time Ray continued the show's coverage of the Coronavirus Pandemic, most often presenting on Thursdays with Charlotte Hawkins and Fridays with Ranvir Singh.{{Cite web|date=16 July 2020|title=Good Morning Britain: Adil Ray replaces Ben Shephard|url=https://www.entertainmentdaily.co.uk/tv/good-morning-britain-adil-ray-replaces-ben-shephard/|access-date=30 July 2020|website=Entertainment Daily UK|language=en-GB}}

Ray portrayed Imran Khan in ITV's acclaimed 2021 mini-series Stephen. The series, written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Joe Cottrell Boyce, was based on the book in Pursuit of the Truth by DCI Clive Driscoll, about the 1993 murder of Stephen Lawrence, and starred Steve Coogan in the role of DCI Clive Driscoll.{{Citation |title=Stephen |date=2021-08-30 |type=Crime, Drama, History |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15122138/?ref_=nm_flmg_job_1_cdt_t_5 |access-date=2025-05-01 |others=Sharlene Whyte, Steve Coogan, Hugh Quarshie |publisher=HTM Productions}}{{Cite web |date=2021-08-19 |title=Steve Coogan spent hours speaking to real DCI Clive Driscoll ahead of ITV's Stephen |url=https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/news/steve-coogan-stephen-clive-driscoll-itv-b1905321.html |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=The Independent |language=en}}

In 2021, Ray began presenting the revival of word-based quiz show, Lingo which premiered on New Years Day.{{Cite web|title=Lingo Episode 1|url=https://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1week53/lingo|access-date=8 December 2020|website=Press Centre|language=en}}

In 2023, Ray was chosen to host US pilot episodes of the gameshow Lucky 13.

In 2020, Ray starred as Mandeep Singh in supernatural comedy Blithe Spirit, alongside Dame Judi Dench, Isla Fischer, Dan Stevens, Leslie Mann and Emilia Clarke.{{Citation |last=Hall |first=Edward |title=Blithe Spirit |date=2021-02-19 |type=Comedy, Fantasy, Romance |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10334148/ |access-date=2025-05-01 |others=Dan Stevens, Isla Fisher, Aimee-Ffion Edwards |publisher=Fred Films, Powderkeg Pictures, Align}} The film, which was based on Noël Coward's 1941 stage farce, is the second feature film adaptation, after David Lean's 1945 version.

Ray starred as James in the 2024 Sky Original film Arthur's Whiskey, led by Diane Keaton, Patricia Hodge and Lulu.{{Citation |last=Cookson |first=Stephen |title=Arthur's Whisky |date=2024-10-05 |type=Comedy |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27158093/ |access-date=2025-05-01 |others=Ossian Perret, Patricia Hodge, David Bromley |publisher=CK Films, Filmology Finance, Benattar/Thomas Productions}}

in 2025, Ray played Mukul in Amazon Prime Video's original romantic comedy Picture This, which starred Simone Ashley and Hero Fiennes Tiffin in the lead roles.{{Citation |last=Mohan |first=Prarthana |title=Picture This |date=2025-03-06 |type=Comedy, Romance |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29471733/?ref_=nm_flmg_job_1_cdt_t_1 |access-date=2025-05-01 |others=Simone Ashley, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Sindhu Vee |publisher=42, Ingenious Media}}

At the end of December 2024, Adil Ray went back to his radio roots when he joined Smooth Radio as a guest presenter over the Christmas and New Year period.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-23 |title=Adil Ray joins Smooth Radio as guest presenter this Christmas |url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2024/12/adil-ray-joins-smooth-radio-as-guest-presenter-this-christmas/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=RadioToday |language=en-GB}} Following his guest presenting success, it was announced that from March 2025, Ray would host his own Saturday mid-morning show.{{Cite web |title=Smooth Radio |url=https://www.smoothradio.com/radio/shows-presenters/adil-ray/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Smooth |language=en}}

Adil Ray is the co-founder and Creative Director of [https://corneredtiger.co.uk/adil-ray-creative-director/ Cornered Tiger], a multi genre, Birmingham based production company. Ray and co-founder Debbie Manners launched Cornered Tiger in 2020, with the purpose of developing ideas with diversity at the very heart of its content, and telling new stories by new and emerging diverse talent. Cornered Tiger produced the 2023 documentary [https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/jul/19/is-cricket-racist-review-the-answer-can-only-be-one-thing-very Is Cricket Racist?] for Channel 4, which was nominated for a 2024 Royal Television Society (Midlands) Documentary award,{{Cite web |date=2024-10-01 |title=Midlands Awards 2024 |url=https://rts.org.uk/award/midlands-awards-2024 |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Royal Television Society |language=en}} as well as for Sports Documentary of the Year at the 2023 Broadcast Sport Awards.{{Cite web |title=Broadcast Sport Awards - 2023 Shortlist |url=https://www.broadcastsportawards.co.uk/shortlist-2023 |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Broadcast Sports Awards |language=en-GB}} Cornered Tiger has several projects in development with major terrestrial television broadcasters and streaming platforms.

Ray is a keen cricket fan and supports his local team Warwickshire and the national team of his father's origin, Pakistan. He is also a fan of Aston Villa F.C.{{Cite web|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/leeds-united-racism-aston-villa-15900727|title=Good Morning Britain host Adil Ray wades into Leeds racism row|last=Ireland|first=Shane|date=28 February 2019|website=birminghammail|access-date=5 March 2019}}

Ray is involved in several charities and foundations: he is an ambassador for the [https://www.avfc.co.uk/foundation/ Aston Villa Foundation], a registered charity that delivers the community and charity work of Aston Villa Football Club; a patron of Acorns Children's Hospice, a registered charity offering a network of palliative care and support to life-limited and life-threatened children and their families across the West Midlands region and part of South West England;{{Cite web |title=Acorns Patrons and Vice-Presidents |url=https://www.acorns.org.uk/our-people/patrons-vice-presidents/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Acorns Children’s Hospice |language=en-GB}} and an ambassador for [https://www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/ Pancreatic Cancer UK].

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Adil Ray spearheaded a campaign to encourage BAME groups across the UK to take the coronavirus vaccine. He created a series of video messages featuring famous persons and personalities from the Black Asian and Minority Ethnic groups, including Romesh Ranganathan, Meera Syal, David Olusoga, Moeen Ali, Beverly Knight, Denise Lewis, Sadiq Khan, Baroness Warsi and others. The videos, which aimed to inform and dispel false myths about the vaccine, were broadcast simultaneously across major terrestrial channels ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, and Sky.{{Cite news |last=Mohdin |first=Aamna |last2=correspondent |first2=Aamna Mohdin Community affairs |date=2021-02-18 |title=BAME groups urged to have Covid vaccine in UK TV ad campaign |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/18/bame-groups-urged-to-have-covid-vaccine-in-uk-tv-ad-campaign |access-date=2025-05-02 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news |date=2021-01-26 |title=British Asian celebrities unite for video to dispel Covid vaccine myths |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-55809355 |access-date=2025-05-02 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |date=2021-02-18 |title=David Olusoga, Adil Ray, Meera Syal Among Celebrities Urging U.K. Ethnic Minorities to Take Up COVID-19 Vaccine |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/global/david-olusuga-adil-ray-meera-syal-covid-vaccine-ethnic-minorities-1234910229/ |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

• UK Asian Music Award – Best Radio Show (2008){{Cite web|title=BBC - Press Office - Adil Ray wins at UK Asian Music Awards|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/03_march/07/ray.shtml|access-date=4 February 2022|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}
• Royal Television Award Nomination – Is It Coz I Is Black (2007)

In January 2013, Ray was nominated for the Arts and Culture Awareness award at the British Muslim Awards.{{cite news |url=http://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/business/11745550.British_Muslim_Awards_2015_finalists_unveiled/|title=British Muslim Awards 2015 finalists unveiled|publisher=Asian Image|date=23 January 2015|access-date=1 November 2015}}

Ray was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting.{{London Gazette|issue=61608|supp=y|page=B14|date=11 June 2016}}

Since 2017, Ray has been on the board of the National Film and Television School.{{Cite web |title=Adil Ray OBE |url=https://nfts.co.uk/people/adil-ray-obe |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=NFTS |language=en}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.adilray.com/}}
• {{IMDb name|1845893}}
• {{British Comedy Guide|people|adil_ray}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ray, Adil}}

Category:1974 births

Category:21st-century British male actors

Category:Alumni of the University of Huddersfield

Category:BBC Asian Network presenters

Category:British people of Indo-Kenyan descent

Category:British writers of Indian descent

Category:Comedians from Birmingham, West Midlands

Category:English comedy writers

Category:English game show hosts

Category:English male comedians

Category:English male television actors

Category:English male television writers

Category:English Muslims

Category:English people of Kenyan descent

Category:English people of Pakistani descent

Category:English people of Punjabi descent

Category:English stand-up comedians

Category:English television writers

Category:Living people

Category:Muslim writers

Category:Male actors from Birmingham, West Midlands

Category:Mass media people from Birmingham, West Midlands

Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Pirate radio personalities

Category:British television show creators

Category:Writers from Birmingham, West Midlands