Coronation Street actor Marc Anwar has been sacked from the soap opera for what the programme described as “racially offensive” comments.
The Pakistan-born actor, who plays the role of businessman Sharif Nazir in the show, is said to have referred to Indian people as “b******s” and “p***-drinking “c***s” in tweets posted on his private account on Friday.
ITV was informed of the comments and decided to dismiss Mr Anwar immediately. “We are deeply shocked by the entirely unacceptable, racially offensive comments made on twitter by Marc Anwar,” an ITV spokesperson said in a statement sent to The Independent.
“We have talked to Marc and, as a consequence of his comments, he will not be returning to Coronation Street with immediate effect.”
The Sunday Mirror published screenshots of the alleged tweets, which have since been deleted, from his account. According to the paper, the 45-year-old condemned India for its relationship with Kashmir and called for Indian films to be banned in Pakistan.
Anwar’s remarks follow intensified tensions between India and Pakistan over the divided Himalayan territory, following fatal attacks by militants and both sides increasing their military presence on the ground.
Anwar graduated from the London Academy of Dramatic Art and has appeared in Emmerdale, Holby City and Citizen Khan and Hollywood films Captain Phillips and 51st State.
This is the first time a Coronation Street actor has been dismissed for bad behaviour since 2013 when Chris Foundation, who played Tommy Duckworth, was let go for an offensive rap advocating sexual violence towards women on YouTube.
