Citizen Khan
- TV sitcom
- BBC One
- 2012 - 2016
- 34 episodes (5 series)
Sitcom focusing on Mr Khan - self appointed community leader and future President of the Sparkhill Pakistani Business Association. Stars Adil Ray, Shobu Kapoor, Bhavna Limbachia, Maya Sondhi, Krupa Pattani and more.
Press clippings
Ray thinks Citizen Khan wouldn't get commissioned now
Adil Ray has claimed his hit BBC sitcom Citizen Khan wouldn't be commissioned today amid debate that comedy has become "too woke".
Tilly Pearce, The Mirror, 17th June 2021Full comedy series now available on BBC iPlayer
The BBC has made all the episode of several of its comedy series available via BBC iPlayer. Viewers can enjoy The League Of Gentlemen, Extras, Miranda, Citizen Khan and Two Pints Of Lager in full.
British Comedy Guide, 8th June 2018Mr Khan film set to be announced
Citizen Khan star Adil Ray has revealed a film based around his hit sitcom character Mr Khan is set to be announced.
British Comedy Guide, 28th May 2018Back in 2016, Labour MP Rupa Huq made headlines for her repeated critique of BBC sitcom Citizen Khan, which she deemed 'Islamophobic'.
Huq first raised the issue in a House of Commons debate on TV diversity before later developing her views in a Guardian opinion piece, in which she criticised the show's "cardboard cutout" characters and even went so far as to describe it as "stomach-churningly, buttock-clenchingly dire."
The MP then states that the sitcom pales in comparison to other depictions of Muslims on-screen, such as the "pioneering" Goodness Gracious Me and the "far more sophisticated" comedy Four Lionsp, and bookends her argument by claiming:
"We live in an age of rocketing post-Brexit hate crime with a US president elected on a pledge to ban Muslims. In this climate, Citizen Khan does us no favours at all."
Show creator Adil Ray has defended the comedy, which has attracted hundreds of official complaints over the last few years, by stating that it was never his intention to represent all Muslims; instead, he said it was based on one family and informed by his own experiences as well as those of his co-writers.
In a 2013 interview, he claimed his intentions were always to create a show with a message which was universal.
"Yes, [Citizen Khan] is about a Pakistani Muslim family, but what I really want is a white English lady to be watching it and nudge her husband and say, 'That's like you, Mr. Khan is just like you.' That - and the idea that children love the show - means more to me than anything any reviewer could ever say."
Jake Hall, The Independent, 12th May 2018TV humour is lewd, lavatorial & lacking any form of wit
The problem, however, is bigger than just one show. For the abject and high-profile failure of The Nightly Show raises a disturbing question. What has happened to British comedy? The sheer unfunniness of much of it is beyond depressing.
Christopher Hart, Daily Mail, 18th March 2017Citizen Khan review
There's little doubt Adil Ray's sitcom is culturally important. But even the mayor of London can't rescue its comedy from wooden puns and 70s sex gags.
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian, 5th November 2016A new series of the mirthless Citizen Khan lands with a thump. Mr Khan has been banished, made to sleep in his car after forgetting his own wedding anniversary. Resolving to make amends, he gets himself into a spot of bother at Edgbaston cricket ground. There are some impressive guest stars, mind you, including Test Match Special's Jonathan Agnew, former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan and the mayor of London himself, Sadiq Khan.
Ben Arnold, The Guardian, 4th November 2016Preview - Citizen Khan
While there will forever be debate about the show's quality, for me the main problem caused by Citizen Khan is that the BBC deep down must think that they have done enough in terms of catering to BAME audiences with just one sitcom, in comparison to ITV2 who have been trying out new pilots all week. The BBC needs to be more adventurous and seek new talent.
Ian Wolf, On The Box, 4th November 2016I despise this sitcom. I cannot understand its appeal. It is excruciating and yet the BBC insists on repeatedly giving it new series. Here it is again on what is, inexplicably, its fifth outing. How can this be?
I feel psychic when I'm watching Citizen Khan because the gags are so wildly obvious you can predict them. In those long, sagging minutes before the panto punchline is delivered you can see it coming, and you drum your fingers on the desk and you look at the clock and you bite your lip and then, boom-tish!, the wee joke is said and the thing creaks on to its next cartoonish scene.
In the series opener, Khan forgets his wedding anniversary so his wife makes him sleep in the car. And his boasts that he knows a famous cricketer gets him into trouble when he's asked to invite him to a community fundraiser. The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, guest stars, suggesting he has less decorum than his predecessor.
Julie McDowall, The National (Scotland), 4th November 2016Radio Times launches a poll to name the best sitcom since 2000
Radio Times has launched a poll to name the best British TV sitcom broadcast since the year 2000. There are 40 shows in the shortlist.
British Comedy Guide, 19th July 2016