Former Coronation Street actor Qasim Akhtar will receive "substantial" damages from The Sun's publisher after the soap star sued for defamation. Qasim Akhtar in 'Coronation Street' (ITV)On Thursday (23 July), Akhtar's lawyer, Daniel Taylor, confirmed in a statement that NGN had agreed to pay "substantial damages" and the actor's legal costs. "Mr Akhtar has never endorsed or supported any such views and strongly condemns all forms of extremism and violence," it continued. "We have agreed to pay Mr Akhtar a sum in damages and apologise unreservedly for the serious harm and distress caused to him by the publication of these false allegations." Akhtar appeared in Shameless, Waterloo Road and Doctors before taking on the role of Zeedan in Coronation Street.