Adil Ray sparks fury with 'shocking' grooming gang victims remark upon controversial ITV GMB return

Following Zohran Mamdani's election win in the New York mayoral race last year, Mr Ray had taken to X to seemingly endorse aspects of Sharia law amid fears from the politician's critics that he would attempt to implement the rules on his voters.

Mr Ray quit X in light of the backlash to his comments, but it hasn't stopped him from voicing his opinions on cultural and political issues via Instagram and BlueSky.

Since the Sharia law comments saga, he's also faced fury for sharing a joke from a stand-up comedian about "hating white people", gloating over the Greens' victory in Gorton and Denton, and mocking concerns that Islam is "dominating London".

On Friday, he managed to irk some viewers further upon his return when discussing the news that the ringleader of a notorious Rochdale grooming gang is set to be released from jail this week.

Shabir Ahmed, 73, held dual British-Pakistani citizenship before he was stripped of the former after being convicted of multiple counts of rape and sexual offences against girls in 2012.

However, he cannot be deported to Pakistan. Discussing this with Skills Minister, Baroness Jacqui Smith, Mr Ray's choice of words landed him in hot water with viewers at home.

Mr Ray branded the developments as a "heinous story" as he put to Ms Smith: "The issue now is that he's out. He's going to be out there.

"Yes, there'll be some restrictions in place, but his abusers feel very vulnerable.

"You were Home Secretary at one point. If you were Home Secretary today, what would you be doing? Would you be looking at every single opportunity to get him deported to Pakistan?"

Ms Smith confirmed that she would be, branding Mr Ahmed a "vile man" but pointing to the fact that "complexities" in his case mean the Home Office is currently struggling to cement his deportation.

"I wholly understand the concerns of victims and everybody, in fact, that he is now being released," she said. "That's why I would say, actually, the restrictions around him will be very tough and will prevent him from going near his victims."

As Ms Smith went on to point to the government's improving record on deporting other foreign criminals, Mr Ray chipped back in: "This also shows a wider point, doesn't it? That he's been let out only 14 years after he committed these crimes.

"He was given a 19-year sentence. And what it shows is that somebody's perpetrators are out. And abusers feel vulnerable up and down the country. Do we need to relook at this and how some of these people with serious crimes are let out so early? And are they given long enough sentences in the first place?"

Baroness Smith replied: "Well, one of the things that we have done in relation to grooming is to make grooming an additional factor that needs to be taken into consideration when sentences are being passed. So that may well lead to longer sentences."

She reiterated that the government is deporting foreign criminals when it can and is looking at more ways in which the process can be expanded.

While the conversation remained amicable between Ms Smith and the presenters, some viewers at home took issue with Mr Ray's decision to label those impacted by Mr Ahmed's crime as "abusers" throughout his questioning, given his guest regularly referred to them as "victims".

Several felt the description was inappropriate, with many asking why the ITV presenter didn't opt for the word "victims" instead.

"Why does Adil keep calling the victims 'abusers'???" one X user fumed. "He's done it twice in the past 5 minutes, so it's more than a slip of the tongue. Does he not understand what that word means? Shockingly poor from a news programme presenter #gmb." (sic)

Another agreed: "Adil STOP saying abuser, it's abused VICTIMS #gmb."

It wasn't just the "abuser" remark that annoyed viewers, however, as within moments of Mr Ray being back on screens, critics flocked to X to express their dismay with ITV's decision due to his past controversies.

One user fumed: "@GMB turned you off as soon as saw anti-British Adil and misleading propaganda via a false report about Prince Harry. @ofcom needs to investigate."

"Will not watch GMB with Adil Ray on," a second bluntly put, while a third referenced the controversy surrounding his social media comments last year: "@gmb why is the Sharia supporting racist Adil Ray back on our screens?"

Elsewhere, a fourth similarly referred to the saga as they questioned: "Why is Adil ‘Sharia Law’ Ray still on @GMB?"

It wasn't a unanimously negative reception to Mr Ray's return, however. After he shared a selfie with Ms Singh on his Instagram page from the GMB set, his followers flocked to applaud his comeback.

"Lovely to see you back," one fan penned in response, while a second weighed in: "Fantastic to see u back on @gmb Adil very smart and professional @adilray." (sic)

Mr Ray will return to the show throughout the summer alongside his rotating roster of co-stars.

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He explained in a separate Instagram post earlier this month: "Some news! Yes I have not been on in a while but glad to be on a little over the coming weeks, on what remains one the most important shows on UK television, during the most important of times.

"Being one of the only (if not the only) Muslims to host a major news show in mainstream peak daytime. So many others have left the traditional outlets, so I am fortunate and grateful of the continued opportunity.

"And of course I aim to reflect us all, especially the Villa fans. Thank you for supporting me everyone, and I hope you will join us @gmb next Thursday.

"Dates: Thursday July 2 & 9. Thursday July 30 and Friday 31st, Thursday August 6th and Friday 7th (and forgive the rather up myself choice of song, I am a DJ innit!?)" (sic)

GB News has contacted Mr Ray's representatives for comment on the response to his remarks.