ITV apologises for inaccurate Cyprus references in Coronation Street

ITV Studios has issued a formal apology to the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK following a controversial episode of the television series Coronation Street, broadcast on Thursday, August 6, 2026. The episode included references to “Turkish” and “Greek” sides of Cyprus, prompting a formal letter of complaint from the Federation to ITV CEO Dame Carolyn Julia McCall.

In its response, ITV Studios acknowledged that the language used was imprecise and admitted it had caused significant distress to the Cypriot community. The broadcaster clarified that the script was not intended to imply any equivalence between the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and the territory unilaterally claimed by Turkey, as defined by UN Security Council resolutions 541 and 550. The Federation’s complaint emphasized that many UK-based viewers are refugees or descendants of the 200,000 individuals forcibly displaced from their homes during the events leading to the island's partition.

Moving forward, ITV Studios has committed to reviewing its editorial processes. The company pledged to raise the matter with the production team of Coronation Street to ensure future sensitivity regarding these issues and to avoid similar inaccuracies in the show's storytelling.