Former Coronation Street actor to receive ‘substantial’ defamation damages from The Sun publisher

Former Coronation Street actor Qasim Akhtar is set to receive “significant” damages from Sun Publishers to settle a High Court defamation claim.

Akhtar, who played Zedan Nazir in the ITV soap from 2014 to 2018 and then from 2021 to 2023, sued News Group Newspapers (NGN) earlier this year.

A story in The Sun falsely accused Akhtar of “supporting” and “associating” with Islamist cleric Usman Ibn Farooq, who was linked to extremism, extremism and violence and had “moved to Pakistan” and was “trained in firearms”.

The newspaper has previously apologized “unreservedly” for the serious hurt and distress caused to the actor by publishing these false allegations.

Published in November, the story appeared in the Sun online and in print.

The Manchester-born actor, who has previously appeared in TV shows including Shameless and Waterloo Road, did not attend the court proceedings.

But his lawyer, Daniel Taylor, read the agreed statement and said NGN had agreed to pay “significant damages” and Akhtar’s legal costs.

“The defendant accepts that the publication of the article has caused serious damage to Mr Akhtar’s reputation and caused him great distress,” he said.

“This is affecting his family life and his business reputation and he has been forced to stay until the matter is resolved.”

“The defamation was aggravated by the defendant’s failure to receive Mr. Akhtar’s response to these serious allegations before they were published.”