MUSLIM community leaders say they are fans of BBC sitcom Citizen Khan, despite accusations from an MP that the show is Islamophobic.

Labour MP Rupa Huq said the programme portrays a Muslim family as “quite backward” and showed some areas of television have yet to move forward from the sitcoms of the 1970s.

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Her comments come as the stage show Citizen Khan – They All Know Me prepares to visit Blackburn’s King George’s Hall next Tuesday.

The MP criticised BBC and ITV productions from the past, including Till Death Us Do Part and Love Thy Neighbour, noting they demonstrated an inferiority to other races.

She added that she would not be surprised if a future episode of Citizen Khan features cutting people’s hands off.

However, Abdul Hamid Qureshi, chairman of Lancashire Council of Mosques, said he and his 11-year-old son enjoy the show and do not find it offensive.

He said: “I’ve never felt offended by the programme. My 11-year-old son enjoys it tremendously. I really can’t understand the MP’s concerns. It is a good laugh.

“I really don’t understand the point she’s trying to make. It’s not something I consider insulting. I don’t know if I will go [to the show]. If I have time, I will.”

Blackburn community worker Faz Patel said he planned to go and watch the show when it visits Blackburn.

“Everyone watches Citizen Khan. It’s a humorous programme. I enjoy watching Citizen Khan. There are a lot of Muslims who will be going,” he added.

A BBC spokesperson said: “The fact that Citizen Khan returns for its fifth series this year is a sign of its popularity with all audiences – indeed the show has won several awards, including Best TV Character, at the Asian Media Awards.

“We’ve also had positive comments from members of the Muslim community for the show and for creator Adil Ray, who, like the family portrayed, is a British Pakistani Muslim. As with all sitcoms, the characters are comic creations and not meant to be representative of the community as a whole.”