Citizen Khan star Adil Ray, 44, talks of his need for tea and why silence really isn’t golden

AS SOON as my eyes open, I need tea. I wake up at 6am, and the only thing I get out of bed for is a good cuppa. Not many people know this, but I make the perfect brew.

I pour freshly boiled water into a mug – preferably a china one – before adding a Yorkshire Tea bag and leaving it for exactly two and a half minutes. I even use my Alexa to time it down to the second. Then all it needs is a little stir, before taking out the bag and adding a drop of milk. If done correctly, the tea should be a nice gingery bronze colour. Heaven.

Everyday life inspires me. When I’m working on scripts, I’ll occasionally go to The British Library. I always see a few familiar faces because so many writers go there to work on their various projects. 
I really enjoy developing characters for my TV shows [Adil created and co-wrote Citizen Khan]. To generate fresh ideas I’ll write a diary for my protagonist, noting down their views on different subjects and how they’d react to specific situations. It’s useful for getting into the mindset of a new character.

I take a lot of breaks. When I’m cooped up in the house writing all day, I have to take 20 minutes here and there just to stay sane. I have the radio on listening to music most of the time, and every now and then I’ll stop for a green smoothie or some cake. The majority of my breaks include snacks.

I love going out for dinner. At 4pm I start thinking about food, so that’s when I wrap up work. I struggle to plan ahead and I can’t do 
all of that meal prep stuff – who knows what I’ll want to eat by 7pm, never mind by Wednesday? I live in Birmingham, so I’ll often pop in 
to see my mum Nargis, and I’ll cook us something for dinner.

One 
of my specialities is shepherd’s pie with a spicy twist. I also make a cracking garlic bread. If I’m not seeing my mum, then I’ll eat out with friends. I enjoy all cuisines, but there is a really good tapas bar near me that I go to regularly.

Total silence unnerves me. I’m a night owl, so there’s a distinct possibility that I’ll be out with friends having a drink in the evening. 
If I’ve had a long day, that’s how I like to reward myself. By 6pm I’ll 
start ringing around to see who is free. If I do stay in, I’ll be in bed 
by 10pm to read a book. I can’t sleep without noise around me, so 
I have the radio on in the background.

I’ve always loved making people laugh. From the age of 11, I’d stand up at parties and do magic tricks or impressions of my uncle or Prince Charles. It became a tradition. That’s when I realised I’d like to be an actor. Cricket was also a big passion – I dreamed of going professional. It’s important to allow ourselves to have big aspirations for the future.’