‘Citizen Khan’ – Adil Ray on celeb appearances in new series and trip down memory lane

November 4 2016

Entertaining and highly amusing, one-time BBC Asian Network broadcaster’s comic creation has new momentum and energy…

DEL BOY, HYACINTH BUCKET, Wolfie Smith from “Citizen Smith” and now Mr Khan (community leader – anyone know his first name?)… they’re all characters and one of a sort.

Tonight, comedy “Citizen Khan” returns to our screens for Series 5 on a prime time BBC One slot.

Mr Khan (Adil Ray)

Yes, who would have thought we would still be shaking our heads, laughing and sometimes cringing over the Pakistani Brit, who lives in Sparkbrook, Birmingham, and is a self-styled leader of his community, a leader of men, and deeply admired by both sexes (ergh, we’re not too serious).

Mr Khan has made Adil Ray, creator and lead actor, if not quite a household name, then the character he plays, one of the most recognised (and increasingly celebrated) comic presences in the UK.

“He hasn’t changed a lot,” Ray told www.asianculturevulture.com earlier this week. “One of the things with comedy is you don’t want change – it’s the familiarity people like and I don’t think he (Mr Khan) has changed a lot.

“There’s been organic change – he’s become a father in law and a grandfather.”

Family man that he is, being Muslim and Pakistani, it’s the women closest to him, including wife Mrs Khan (Shobu Kapoor) and oldest daughter, Shazia (Krupa Pattani), who have the most to lose from his fun and games.

The opening episode tonight features a cameo appearance from Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, and BBC Test match special cricket commentators and one time England players, Michael Vaughan and Jonathan Agnew, as themselves.

Mr Khan goes in search of England cricketer Moeen Ali and as you might expect gets himself and his hapless son-in-law and community support officer Amjad (Abdullah Afzal) in a spot of bother.

There’s even some insinuated nudity along the way – which doesn’t repel everyone (!), but what perhaps takes the eye more is – the celeb cameos.

“It’s great to have guests in the show. In this series we wanted to have a bit more fun and enjoy it a little more,” Ray told us on the phone from Birmingham.

Alia (Bhavna Limbachia) and Dad Mr Khan (Adil Ray)

Khan, Vaughan and Agnew are not the only celebrities to be seen in this series – comedy icon Harry Enfield will feature in a later episode, as will Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, a former Conservative cabinet minister. Lynda Baron, most famous as Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in “Open All Hours” also makes an appearance.

“When we offered Harry Enfield a part we were fully expecting him to say he was busy but he loved it and said he is a big fan of the show,” Ray enthused.

Enfield will play the none too enamoured father of youngest daughter’s (Alia/Bhavna Limbachia) newly discovered boyfriend. Expect fireworks!

Warsi will bump into Mr Khan on a Muslim Fun Day at the Khan’s Sparkbrook Mosque and there’s no question that the programme makers are going to force Mr Khan well outside of his comfort zone to wring the biggest laughs.

It will all work towards a series of flashbacks that occur in the final episodes and the Christmas Special.

“You will be seeing Mr Khan as you’ve never have, from the 1980s, when he has big wavy hair.”

Ray, whose conversion to Mr Khan takes hours in make-up, promises fun and hilarity as we take a trip down memory lane.

The show does have its critics, but Ray argues it’s mostly people like us who bring them up.

“Only journalists ask those questions. I don’t know where that comes from, I’ve been making the show for five years and on the whole I get nothing but love. I don’t know where they (Citizen Khan’s critics) are, but we are probably doing the right thing by ignoring them.”

Next week, Khan is off to Buckingham Palace to receive his OBE in person from the Queen.

“It will be a fantastic moment. It’s great, a real privilege and honour.

“For me as a second generation (British Asian) and my parents it will be special. They hoped for a life where they and their children would be comfortable…”

Adil Ray becomes Mr Khan

So anything more is an unexpected and thrilling bonus, he suggests without saying it.

The accolade is not just for Ray’s successful stint in comedy (“Citizen Khan” is reported to have between three and five million viewers), but his broadcasting career which more recently has been overshadowed by his comedy exploits.

He was a BBC Asian network presenter for many years and has featured on Radio Five Live and on BBC TV’s “The One Show” as a stand in-presenter. Before that he worked in commercial radio around the Midlands.

He said: “There were no guarantees going into radio and I worked in it for almost no money at all for about five years.

“I remember my mother asking, ‘do you know what you are doing?’ I told my parents I was going to be fine. It was something I wanted to do and if I worked hard…”

That self-belief has paid off and it should act as an inspiration to other Asian and minorities seeking to make it in similar fields.

Ray said: “Diversity is important and with ‘Citizen Khan’ we are very keen to recruit new people on and off screen. We always try and open the door.”

He cited the example of Limbachia who started out in the show and now has a part in “Coronation Street”.

There are more debuts in this series too.

And what of Ray himself, what ambitions does he have?

Ray told www.asianculturevulture.com: “I want to do more comedy, that would be great and I don’t want to let go of my radio career.

“I would love to make a Citizen Khan film, it’s a bit of a pipe dream. I’ve had some initial conversations with some people, it’s going to take a while to get right.

“One of the reasons ‘Citizen Khan’ works is that I am very fortunate, in that the right people want to come and work on it – experienced people with different skills and that’s what I’d like to do with a film. Who knows…

“It’s one step at a time,” he confided.

*’Citizen Khan’, every Friday BBC One 8.30pm