Ex-Corrie actor who was sacked for sending ‘racially offensive’ tweets running to be an MP
A FORMER Corrie actor who was sacked from the show for sending “racially offensive” tweets is running to be an MP.
Pakistan-born Marc Anwar who played Sharif Nazir in the soap for two years is planning to stand as an independent in Bury North.
He was ditched from the soap after making offensive comments about Indian people in a series of ranting tweets in 2016.
Anwar apologised for the remarks after they were reported and said it was a “moment of madness”.
He said at the time: “I would like to offer my sincerest apologies to anyone that I may have offended with my tweets on Friday evening and especially people from India.
“This was never my intention and the language was unacceptable. I feel that I have let a lot of people down, my family, my friends and my former colleagues.”
He had joined the much-loved drama as a member of the first Muslim family who moved onto the cobbles.
His character was married to Yasmeen, played by Shelley King, before he was caught out having an affair with her best friend Sonia Rahman.
After his tweets surfaced ITV said in a statement: “We are deeply shocked by the entirely unacceptable, racially offensive comments made on Twitter by Marc Anwar.
“We have talked to Marc and, as a consequence of his comments, he will not be returning to Coronation Street with immediate effect.”
His pledges include holding Israel to account “for committing a genocide” and ending “corruption in local and national politics”.
A GoFundMe page set up for his campaign shows that Anwar has so far raised £418 to provide cash for his election bid.
He describes himself as a “Actor, broadcaster, social activist, charity worker”.