[9] The Independent's Hasnet Lais stated "Credit must be given to Adil Ray for not sparing any sacred cows and shining light on the conundrum of some British Muslim women under the patriarchal cosh.

The BBC claimed it had evidence the complaints were part of a lobbying campaign and countered it saying a number of people, including those of Muslim communities, praised the show and referred to its audience figures as a "very positive start.

"[15] The Islam Channel broadcast a special show entitled Politics and Media: Citizen Khan – Racist stereotypes or harmless fun?

The Pakistan News Watch website countered "shows like Citizen Khan are essential in multicultural societies and help put all communities on an equal footing – if everyone can have a laugh at everyone else's expense, then no one can claim superiority.

"[16] The debate continued for a third week, with the Yorkshire Post publishing an article by Pakistani journalist Sabbiyah Pervez appealing to her own community to "stop being so defensive and learn to laugh at itself.

[21] Citizen Khan has been exported to Australia, India, Russia, Bulgaria and New Zealand, spawned Christmas specials and prompted a UK-wide "live" tour of regional theaters.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph in 2015 ahead of the launch of series 4, Adil Ray stated that fans of the show realise it is a "big laugh out loud comedy, not a reflection of every Muslim or Pakistani family in the country.

[8] Ray has claimed that for every complaint he had over a scene in which Khan's daughter Alia hurriedly covers her head in the presence of her father, he received ten messages from Muslims, Catholics and Jews relating to the experience of a child behaving similarly.

[8] In April 2016, the show was condemned in parliament by Rupa Huq, the Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, who called its portrayal of a Birmingham Muslim family "quite backward".

[23] In June 2021, Ray was in a debate on Good Morning Britain about 'woke' comedy rows, and stated that the BBC was thinking about making a Christmas Special, but conversations would need to be had about the content and 'offensive stereotypes'.

[24] The character of Mr Khan has made appearances at Children in Need 2014 (in which he appeared as a guest in the EastEnders pub), The Queen Victoria, Comic Relief 2015,[29] (in which he joked he was hoping to be considered for Jeremy Clarkson's job at Top Gear), the FA Cup Final 2015 (supporting local Birmingham team Aston Villa),[30] and in October 2015, took over the train announcements at Birmingham New Street station for an hour.