Former Coronation Street heartthrob Qasim Akhtar has landed a crushing blow to The Sun, securing a substantial High Court libel payout that's left the tabloid reeling. It's a bitter victory for Akhtar, who'll be relieved to have his name cleared after being falsely accused of backing extremist cleric Uthman ibn Farooq and training with guns in Pakistan.
The explosive allegations – which appeared in both print and online editions of The Sun in November 2025 – sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry. NGN, the publisher of The Sun, had initially maintained the claims were true, but later backtracked, issuing an unreserved apology in May and admitting they should never have published such damaging lies.
Akhtar's lawyer, Daniel Taylor, delivered a devastating blow to NGN during court proceedings, reading out a statement that revealed the libel had caused 'serious harm' to Akhtar's reputation and left his family life and business in tatters. The defendant's admissions highlighted their reckless disregard for the truth – they failed to seek Akhtar's response before splashing the baseless claims on their front pages.
NGN has since committed to never repeating the allegations, but the damage has already been done. In a poignant social media post in June, Akhtar opened up about the trauma he'd endured, describing it as 'very tough' and admitting that the false accusations had left him feeling vulnerable and anxious for his family's safety.
The Sun's apology – which confirmed Akhtar's strong condemnation of extremism and violence – was a long time coming. It's a stark reminder that even in today's fast-paced media landscape, the pursuit of truth and accuracy should never be compromised for the sake of clicks or sales.