High Court Settlement Concludes Dispute
Former Coronation Street actor Qasim Akhtar has been awarded substantial libel damages following a High Court settlement with News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher of The Sun. The resolution brings an end to a legal battle ignited by a defamatory article published in November 2025, which contained severe, unsubstantiated allegations against the actor.
In the settlement, NGN formally admitted that the claims were entirely false. The publisher has issued an unreserved apology and agreed to pay both damages and legal costs. The resolution also includes a commitment from the newspaper that it will never repeat the unfounded allegations.
The Nature of the Defamatory Claims
The dispute centered on a report in The Sun that falsely asserted Akhtar had “backed” and “teamed up with” Uthman ibn Farooq, an Islamic cleric. The publication further alleged that the actor was involved in extremism and radicalization. Perhaps most damagingly, the article claimed that Akhtar had relocated to Pakistan to undergo firearms training.
Akhtar, widely recognized for his role as Zeedan Nazir in the long-running soap opera Coronation Street, vehemently denied these claims from the outset. Legal representatives for the actor emphasized that the newspaper failed to adhere to basic journalistic standards, specifically noting that they did not seek comment from Akhtar before publishing the highly damaging story.
Impact on Reputation and Professional Life
The consequences of the false reporting were significant, affecting both the actor’s personal life and his career. In a public statement shared on Instagram in June 2026, Akhtar described the preceding six months as “very tough.” He detailed how the false allegations had deeply impacted his reputation, family life, and physical safety.
Beyond the personal toll, the legal team noted that the article forced Akhtar to put various business opportunities on hold. The settlement serves as a formal retraction of the false narrative, with the publisher acknowledging that Akhtar had no association with extremist views, radicalization, or the alleged training activities in Pakistan.