GMB’s Adil Ray shares defiant celebration of Emma Raducanu’s heritage: ‘This is the Britain we love’

‘When a fellow immigrant flies the British flag, it brings us immense pride and strength’

Good Morning Britain presenter Adil Ray has celebrated Emma Raducanu’s heritage, following her historic win in the US Open last night (11 September).

The 18-year-old tennis player beat Leylah Fernandez in two sets to become the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since 1977.

Reacting to her victory, Ray wrote on Twitter: “Get in. Emma Raducanu the immigrant from a Romanian, Chinese, Canadian family grand slams the haters. This is the Britain we love.

He continued: “I love that our British Grand Slam winner’s Twitter bio simply reads ‘London, Toronto, Shenyang, Bucharest’. 18 years old, arrived here when she was 2. Our parents made us, our journey and heritage makes us. It is what makes us British. #EmmaRaducanu.”

The tweets prompted criticism from some Twitter users in his replies.

One Twitter user claimed that Ray was sending out a “toxic message”, writing: “Why do certain people in the main stream [sic] media insist on painting our great, tolerant country to be something it isn’t?”

Ray responded: “Perhaps because some of us have grown up with abuse, bricks through the window and at our heads for being an immigrant.

“When a fellow immigrant flies the British flag, it brings us immense pride and strength. A rare moment when we can answer back to the decades of hate.”

In another tweet, the presenter said: “I won’t stop standing up for and promoting minorities and immigrants. Never. Ever. You can call this identity politics if you wish. Take care and I wish you and yours well.”

Ray’s fellow Good Morning Britain presenter Alex Beresford wrote: “Why are we arguing about where @EmmaRaducanu is from?

“If she represents a part of you it’s ok to celebrate her and shout about it from the rooftops. The beauty of migration is that you don’t have to give up your roots, you just grow more roots.”

Former GMB presenter Piers Morgan also weighed in on Raducanu’s victory, after social media users condemned him for comments criticising the tennis player earlier this year.

One person accused the presenter of “trying to take credit for” the historic victory after Morgan wrote that she had “taken my advice and won” .