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| Born | (1974-04-26) April 26, 1974 (age 50) Birmingham, West Midlands, England |
| Years active | present |
| Website | http://www.adilray.com |
Adil Ray (born 26 April 1974 in Birmingham, England) is a British actor and radio and television presenter. Adil is currently starring in his self created BBC One comedy, Citizen Khan which he also co-writes. The sitcom airs on Monday nights. Adil can also be often heard on various BBC radio stations including BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 5 Live.
Early Life
Adil Ray was born in Birmingham to his Pakistani and Kenyan mother. He was brought up in the white suburb of Yardley. Adil's father Abdul was a Bus Driver for almost 40 years and his mother worked for the Civil Service Immigration Appeals Department - a highly influential position for an Asian woman in the 70s and 80s. Adil's parents (both now retired) divorced when he was in his mid teens which made Adil quite independent at a young age. Adil attended Yardley Junior and Infant's School - only the second British Asian to do so, the first being his elder brother. Adil later attended Handworth Grammar School. His first day being the day after the Handsworth Riots in 1985. Adil was a keen cricketer and represented Birmingham League side West Bromwich Dartmouth from during the late 80's and early 90s. Adil later graduated from The University of Huddersfield with a 2:1 in BA (Hons) Marketing.
Career
Pirate and Commercial Radio
Adil 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 landed 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, Adil landed a spot with Galaxy 105, a job that made him the first full time British South Asian presenter to host a mainstream commercial radio show in the UK. Adil stayed with Galaxy 105 for two years. After spells with Century Radio in Manchester, Aire FM Leeds and Ministry of Sound Radio he joined the BBC to front the digital launch of the BBC Asian Network.
BBC
Adil joined the BBC Asian Network in 2002 to present the late night Adil Ray Show, which aimed to "champion new music talent". In 2003 Adil was the first to interview and champion R&B star Jay Sean, who has since topped the US charts. In May 2006 Adil took over the drivetime afternoon slot, and from January 2009 he presented the station's Breakfast Show from 7am each weekday morning. The show featured comedy sketches and satire. In 2008 The Adil Ray Show won the best radio show category at the UK Asian Music Awards. Adil has also 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. Adil has also fronted documentaries for BBC Radio 4, including Picturing Britain and Towering Ambition. 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. As part of the show Adil secured an interview with former Pakistani cricketer, Imran Khan. This was the cricketer turned politician's first TV interview since divorcing Jemima Khan. Adil also hosted the BBC Four programme Tales from Europe where he explored the 24 hour lifestyle in Madrid. In 2007, Adil presented the Royal Television Society award-nominated show Is it Cos Is Black? for BBC Three where he looked at the issue of political correctness. 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.
In 2010 Adil reprised his role as Mr Khan to feature in his very own web series for 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.
Adil left the BBC Asian Network on 4 June 2010 to pursue other radio and television as well as comedy acting and writing work.
In the summer of 2010 Adil 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. Adil continues to make documentaries for BBC Radio 4 including recently 'The Real Mr Khan' a documentary looking into the role of community leaders. Adil 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 which broadcast on 4 July 2011.
Adil covered the issue of grooming on a highly acclaimed BBC Three documentary in December 2011 - Exposed: Groomed For Sex. This was very well received despite being a hugely sensitive area.
Meanwhile in 2011 Adil continued his venture into comedy including the radio pilot 'Sparkhill Sound' that broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on May 12, 2011. A community radio station set in Birmingham. Adil was both writer and performer alongside Anil Gupta (writer), Gary Pillai and Vineeta Rishi (cast).
In October 2011 Adil performed his comedy 'Citizen Khan' at the BBC Salford Sitcom Showcase. The performance was a huge success. A week later it was commissioned as a BBC One primetime series to be aired on Monday the 27th of August 2012. Seen as the first ever Asian and Muslim sitcom it will centre around Adil's comedy creation Mr Khan and his long suffering family.
Citizen Khan
Citizen Khan 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).
Mr Khan is a loveable larger than life character, with strong opinions and big dreams. The challenges he faces are those of many fathers – how to make ends meet, keep his wife and daughters happy and impress his daughter’s future in-laws. Things would be so much easier if everyone just listened to him and followed his lead, but his obsessively house-proud wife and two feisty daughters usually have other ideas.
The 6 x 30 minute episodes of Citizen Khan were commissioned after it was performed at the Salford Sitcom Showcase. The series was commissioned by Danny Cohen, Controller BBC One and Cheryl Taylor, Controller of Comedy Commissioning and will be produced by BBC In-House Comedy. The Executive Producer is Mark Freeland and the Producer is Paul Schlesinger (Twenty Twelve). The Director is Nick Wood (Fresh Meat, Not Going Out). Citizen Khan was created by Adil Ray and is written by Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto (The Kumars at No 42, Goodness Gracious Me) with Adil Ray.
Personal Life
Adil is single and has never been married and has no children. Adil is a keen cricket fan and supports local team Warwickshire and the country of his father's origin - Pakistan. Adil is also an Aston Villa Football Club fan.
Awards
UK Asian Music Award - Best Radio Show (2008) Royal Television Award Nomination - Is It Coz I Is Black (2007)
External links
- The Adil Ray web site
- BBC Asian Network
- Adil Ray Biography on BBC Asian Network
- Encore Feature Article on Adil Ray
References
- ^ "Adil Ray biography". adilray.com. Archived from the original on 11 February 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - "Adil Ray wins gong for best radio show". Asian News. 10 March 2008. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
- ^ "Adil Ray: 'Be real, and the rest will follow naturally' - Media, News". The Independent. 2008-08-11. Retrieved 2009-08-27.
- "Adil Ray in new BBC Two comedy". The Asian News. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 21 January 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - "BBC Comedy - Mr Khan". BBC Comedy.
- "Mr Khan - Youtube". BBC Comedy.
- http://www.adilray.com/news.html Adil Ray homepage