Biography

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. In 2016 the show hit the road with a Citizen Khan tour and the publication of a book - Citizen Khan's Guide to Britain. Adil is developing a Citizen Khan film.

Adil has received four Royal Television Society Awards for Best Comedy Programme and Best Comedy Performance as well as Best TV Character at the Asian Media Awards.

Adil's talent for comedy was first aired on his daily BBC Asian Network Breakfast Show, where he created a number of characters. Comedy legends Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse were listening and asked Adil to join the performance team on BBC2's Bellamy's People.

In 2017, as well as writing new projects Adil ventured into drama acting and appeared as Sadiq Nawaz in Channel 4's groundbreaking drama Ackley Bridge. The show is in its second series, due to its popularity and successful ratings.

Television and radio presenting has remained a staple throughout Adil's career. Adil has presented across all the major BBC networks, winning the award for Best Radio Show at the Asian Music Awards and is best known for his work on BBC Radio 5Live. It was during the late night slot on 5Live that Adil skillfully exhibited his ability to shift from comedy performer to news broadcaster when breaking stories such as the UK summer riots, phone hacking and the night the UK went to war in Libya. Elsewhere Adil has enjoyed hosting a number of sports shows such as 'Radio 4's Test Match Special' and the legendary football phone in '606'.

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 whilst on the BBC2 show Explore, Adil visited Argentina and Turkey. Adil also hosted the BBC2 arts show Desi DNA and presented Tales from Europe for BBC4.

Adil has co-presented BBC flagship entertainment show 'The One Show' and 'Have I Got News For You'. He has appeared on 'Room 101', 'Would I Lie To You?' and 'Pointless' and holds the record for fastest ever lock in (twice) in The Crystal Maze. In 2016 Adil was honoured in the Queens Birthday List and awarded Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to Media and Broadcasting.

Adil is also a patron and supporter of three charities Acorn's Hospice, Parkinson's UK and Karma Nirvana.

- IMDb mini biography by: ITG