Adil Ray
Encyclopedia
Adil Ray is a British radio
and television
presenter
, and actor
born 26 April 1974 in Birmingham
, England
.
i and Kenya
n origin. He 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. 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
. 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 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 since January 2009 has presented the station's Breakfast Show from 7am each weekday morning, which features 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 Five Live
's Fighting Talk and has 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 5live as part of their cricket coverage. He can often be heard presenting the 5live late night show. Adil continues to make documentaries for BBC Radio 4 and is currently working on 'The Real Mr Khan' a documentary looking into the role of community leaders. Adil is also tackling the issue of sex and grooming in the Pakistani community in Britain in a BBC Radio 4 documentary on the subject which broadcast on 4th July 2011.
Meanwhile Adil continues 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 BBC1 primetime series to be aired in Autumn 2012. Seen as the first ever Asian sitcom it will centre around Adil's comedy creation Mr Khan and his suffering family.
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
born 26 April 1974 in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Background
Adil Ray is of PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i and Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n origin. He began his career as a radio host on a pirate radio station in Huddersfield while studying at the University of Huddersfield
University of Huddersfield
The University of Huddersfield is a university located in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.- History :The University traces its roots back to a Science and Mechanic Institute founded in 1825...
and DJing at the university venue Eden. 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
Choice FM
Choice FM, branded on-air as London's Choice, is a brand used by the UK's biggest radio company, Global Radio for its network of black music radio stations...
. In 1997, Adil landed a spot with Galaxy 105
Galaxy Yorkshire
Capital Yorkshire is an Independent Local Radio station owned by Global Radio as part of the nine-station Capital radio network which specialises in mainstream music...
, 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 Asian Network.
BBC career
Adil joined the BBC Asian NetworkBBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network is a British radio station serving those originating from and around the Indian subcontinent. The music and news comes out of the main urban areas where there are significant communities with these backgrounds. The station has production centres in Birmingham, Leicester and London...
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 since January 2009 has presented the station's Breakfast Show from 7am each weekday morning, which features comedy sketches and satire. In 2008 The Adil Ray Show won the best radio show category at the UK Asian Music Awards
UK Asian Music Awards
The UK Asian Music Awards, also known by the abbreviation UK AMA, is an award show that is held annually in the United Kingdom since 2002. It is presented by B4U Music since 2008...
. Adil has also been a regular on BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
's Fighting Talk and has fronted documentaries for BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, including Picturing Britain and Towering Ambition. He has also appeared in the award winning BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network is a British radio station serving those originating from and around the Indian subcontinent. The music and news comes out of the main urban areas where there are significant communities with these backgrounds. The station has production centres in Birmingham, Leicester and London...
radio soap, Silver Street
Silver Street
Silver Street was a radio soap opera, the first such to be aimed at the British South Asian community, and was broadcast on the BBC Asian Network. It was introduced in 2004 as part of the Sonia Deol show, which was replaced from 24 April 2006 by the Anita Rani show, and until 12 May 2006 each...
.
He also presented the British Asian Arts and Lifestyle show Desi DNA
Desi DNA
Desi DNA is a British television show on the BBC covering Desi art, culture and entertainment, currently broadcasting its fifth series in 2008....
on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. 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
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
programme Tales from Europe where he explored the 24 hour lifestyle in Madrid. In 2007, Adil presented the Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
award-nominated show Is it Cos Is Black? for BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
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
Bellamy's People
Bellamy's People, also known as Bellamy's People of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is a British comedy show first broadcast on BBC 2 as an eight episode series. The show is a spin off from the BBC Radio 4 show Down the Line...
, 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
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
to coincide with the Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
national team's visit to England that year.
Adil left the BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network is a British radio station serving those originating from and around the Indian subcontinent. The music and news comes out of the main urban areas where there are significant communities with these backgrounds. The station has production centres in Birmingham, Leicester and London...
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 5live as part of their cricket coverage. He can often be heard presenting the 5live late night show. Adil continues to make documentaries for BBC Radio 4 and is currently working on 'The Real Mr Khan' a documentary looking into the role of community leaders. Adil is also tackling the issue of sex and grooming in the Pakistani community in Britain in a BBC Radio 4 documentary on the subject which broadcast on 4th July 2011.
Meanwhile Adil continues 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 BBC1 primetime series to be aired in Autumn 2012. Seen as the first ever Asian sitcom it will centre around Adil's comedy creation Mr Khan and his suffering family.