TV presenter Adil Ray has reportedly been “hauled in” by ITV bosses after causing outrage with social media comments seen by many as an apparent defence of Sharia law.
The Good Morning Britain host sparked a furious backlash after posting on X (formerly Twitter) about New York’s new socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, suggesting that “the heart of Sharia is social justice, welfare, fairness, charity, and cohesion.”
His post came as he praised Mamdani – the city’s first Muslim mayor – before adding that “most Muslim countries operate a hybrid of Sharia and civil law.”
Within hours, his comments triggered a storm online, with critics accusing him of “whitewashing” the harsh realities of Sharia law in countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia.
⚡ ITV bosses ‘pretty cross’ after backlash
According to reports, senior ITV executives were left “pretty cross” over the controversy, summoning Ray for a meeting about his social media conduct.
A source told The Sun:
“GMB execs are pretty cross. His comments sent bosses into a tailspin and he was called in.
It was a nightmare as hours earlier ITV revealed it was in talks to sell its broadcasting arm to Sky in a £1.6 billion deal. Obviously, they don’t want anything to derail that.”
ITV confirmed the Sky deal was still in preliminary stages, but the timing of Ray’s controversy couldn’t have been worse for the broadcaster.
💬 Adil Ray issues clarification
Two days after his original post, Ray attempted to clarify his remarks, insisting he hadn’t meant to suggest that Mamdani would impose Sharia law.
“To clarify, I am not actually suggesting Mamdani would implement Sharia law,” he wrote.
“But many of the issues he campaigned for are also some of the positive values of Sharia that Muslims try to live by.”
The clarification did little to calm the outrage – especially after Ray faced renewed criticism for comments made during a separate Good Morning Britain interview with a 100-year-old World War II veteran.
🔥 GB News hosts hit back
GB News presenter Patrick Christys was among those to slam Ray’s remarks on Friday night, saying:
“We’ve got Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen — all under Sharia law. Do we think Adil wants to leave his comfortable London studio to live in any of those countries? I’m not really sure he will.”
Christys added that ITV seemed to hold a double standard, claiming “Piers Morgan was forced out over Meghan Markle, yet Adil Ray can promote Sharia law and keep his job.”
Fellow GB News host Emily Carver also criticised Ray’s post, saying:
“Why on earth would a Good Morning Britain presenter decide to make Sharia law sound kind of fluffy? Have a look at the countries where it’s actually applied and see what life is like for women and minorities.”
📢 What happens next
Despite the mounting backlash, ITV has so far declined to publicly comment on the situation. Ray remains part of Good Morning Britain’s rotating hosting line-up.
The controversy adds to growing tension at ITV, with questions now being raised about its editorial standards and consistency when handling politically sensitive remarks.
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