Adil Ray criticises Laurence Fox for comparing negative theatre review to racist abuse

‘Why does my story of racism trigger him so much?’ asked the ‘Good Morning Britain’ presenter

Adil Ray has criticised Laurence Fox after the Lewis star compared insults aimed at him as an actor to Ray’s own experiences of racism.

On Sunday (10 April), the Good Morning Britain host – who has been vocal about past experiences in which he was the target of racism – responded to a news story about Essex police seizing racially offensive dolls from a pub.

The dolls, traditionally known as “golli***s”, feature a racist caricature of Black people.

Writing on Twitter, Ray commented: “I was called golliw*** at school. Just hearing the word frightens me. I can’t think of any good reason why someone on balance might think it’s ok to display them in a pub.”

In response, Fox tweeted: “Stay strong bro. I feel your pain. [Theatre critic] Quentin Letts described me as having a face that belonged in the winners enclosure at Aintree in a theatre review once, which, I thought was pretty funny. Also, was chuffed it was the winners enclosure.”

Resharing Fox’s comments, Ray wrote: “And here he comes. Comparing the racism I faced in National Front Birmingham in the 70s with a cruel review he once received. Why does my story of racism trigger him so much? It’s as if he takes it personally…”

Last week, Ray spoke publicly about the recent onslaught of racist comments he has received following comments made by Suella Braverman about “British-Pakistani males”.

The home secretary recently singled out British-Pakistani men while discussing the government’s crackdown on child sexual abuse, saying that they “hold cultural values totally at odds with British values”.

Home Office-commissioned research previously found that most group child sex offenders are men under the age of 30, and that the majority were white.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Thursday (6 April), Ray said that he’d received “nothing but racism” following Braverman’s comments.

“I have suffered… since Suella Braverman going onto breakfast television and labelling British Pakistani men – with no caveats, no kindness, no compassion – simply labelling British Pakistani men [as having] an issue when it comes to English white girls. I have suffered nothing but racism for the last seven days,” he said.

Kate Garraway said that the racism aimed at Ray had been “unsettling and unheard of” for him, with her co-host adding: “It’s really bad…. It’s coming from all corners.”