Former ITV Actor Secures Major Libel Victory Against The Sun Publisher

Former Coronation Street actor Qasim Akhtar is set to receive “substantial” libel damages after reaching a settlement with News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher of The Sun, over an article that falsely linked him to extremism and firearms training. The settlement was confirmed during proceedings at the High Court in London and brings to an end a months-long legal battle over allegations the newspaper has admitted were entirely false.

Akhtar, best known for playing Zeedan Nazir in the long-running ITV soap Coronation Street between 2014 and 2023, sued NGN after The Sun published an article in November 2025 claiming he had supported an Islamic cleric, was associated with extremism, had moved to Pakistan and undergone firearms training. The newspaper has since acknowledged that the allegations had no factual basis.

During Thursday’s hearing, Akhtar’s lawyer, Daniel Taylor, told the court that NGN had agreed to pay the actor substantial damages in addition to covering his legal costs. Taylor said the publisher accepted the publication had caused serious harm to Akhtar’s reputation and inflicted significant emotional distress, affecting both his family life and professional career.

The lawyer also argued that the damage was worsened because The Sun failed to contact Akhtar for comment before publishing the allegations. According to the agreed court statement, the actor was forced to pause business and professional activities while pursuing legal action to clear his name.

Representing News Group Newspapers, lawyer Andrew Wheelhouse acknowledged before the High Court that the article “should never have been published” and confirmed the publisher had undertaken never to repeat the allegations. The admission followed an earlier public apology issued by The Sun in May, in which the newspaper accepted that every key allegation made against Akhtar was false.

In that apology, The Sun stated that Akhtar had never endorsed or supported extremist views, had never been involved in radicalisation, and had never moved to Pakistan or undertaken firearms training. The newspaper also acknowledged that the publication had caused the actor serious harm and distress.

Although Akhtar did not attend the hearing, he previously spoke publicly about the impact of the allegations. In a social media post shared in June, he described the previous six months as “very tough,” saying the false claims had deeply affected his reputation, his family’s wellbeing, his sense of safety and his peace of mind.

Media law experts say the case highlights the potentially severe consequences of publishing unverified allegations involving terrorism or extremism. The settlement also reinforces the importance of the journalistic principle of giving individuals a fair opportunity to respond before publication, particularly where accusations are capable of causing lasting reputational damage.

The outcome adds to a series of costly legal cases involving British tabloid publishers and underscores the financial and reputational risks faced by media organisations that fail to meet standards of accuracy and responsible reporting.