Former Coronation Street Actor Qasim Akhtar Awarded Substantial Libel Damages from The Sun Publisher

Former Coronation Street actor Qasim Akhtar has been awarded substantial libel damages from News Group Newspapers, the publisher of The Sun, to settle a High Court claim over false allegations linking him to extremism and violence. The settlement, announced in court proceedings, includes payment of his legal costs and represents a formal acknowledgment of the serious reputational harm caused by the publication.

The False Allegations and Publication

In November, The Sun published an article in both print and online editions containing serious false claims about Akhtar. The article alleged that the Manchester-born actor had "backed" and "teamed up with" Islamic cleric Uthman ibn Farooq, was associated with extremism and radicalisation, had relocated to Pakistan, and undergone firearms training. None of these allegations were true.

The publication occurred without The Sun obtaining Akhtar's response to the serious charges beforehand—a failure that compounded the libel according to court statements. Akhtar, who played the character Zeedan Nazir across two separate periods on the ITV soap (2014-2018 and 2021-2023), was absent from the court hearing on Thursday as his legal representative presented the settlement details.

Court Settlement and Publisher's Admission

Daniel Taylor, Akhtar's lawyer, read an agreed statement confirming that News Group Newspapers had accepted full responsibility. The publisher acknowledged that the article "should never have been published" and committed to never repeating the allegations. In its formal apology released in May, The Sun stated unequivocally that the claims were "entirely false" and that Akhtar had never endorsed extremist views, had never been involved in radicalisation, and had not moved to Pakistan or undertaken firearms training.

Andrew Wheelhouse, representing the publisher, confirmed the defendant's acceptance of the article's falsity and the commitment against future publication of similar claims. The settlement addressed not only damage to Akhtar's professional reputation but also harm to his family life and business operations, which he was forced to suspend pending resolution of the matter.

Actor's Response and Impact

In a June Instagram post, Akhtar described the preceding six months as "very tough to say the least," noting that the false allegations had deeply affected his reputation, family, safety, and peace of mind. His experience underscores the serious consequences of unverified reporting, particularly when allegations of extremism and violence are involved. The settlement represents both financial compensation and a formal court acknowledgment of the publisher's failure to conduct adequate fact-checking before publication.