Mehmet Ali was born in Istanbul, Turkey, as the son of Sadettin Erbil, a theatre and film actor, in 1957.[3] He is the grandson of Mehmed Efendi and the great-grandson of Mehmed Esad Erbilî.
He completed his primary and secondary education in Istanbul, Ankara and Balıkesir. In 1970, he enrolled in the Theatre Department of State Conservatory in Ankara. Having graduated, he started his acting career in Ankara State Theatre. Afterwards, he moved to Istanbul and continued his career in musical films. In 1984, he first started his television career in a programme he hosted together with Derya Baykal and Çiğdem Tunç.
His TV show Çarkıfelek (Turkey's version of Wheel of Fortune) was cancelled on 6 October 2010 due to Erbil's derogatory reference to Alevis.[5] The program started again in September 2011 on TNT.
In March 2023, a court sentenced him to a judicial fine of ₺13,100 for "insult" and to 4 months and 15 days in prison for "sexual harassment" of Ece Ronay Bilir.[6]