OSCARS’ NOT OUT
Some of the big winners of television’s glitziest awards bash
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did est zin has to Mel Owen, winning Sexiest Female. Her hunky co-star Michael Greco walked away with Sexiest Male.
But it was Coronation Street which won the big one – Best Soap.
Until 2014, the top award was only ever won by Corrie or EastEnders.
So when Sir Ian McKellen revealed that Channel 4’s Hollyoaks had won the title in 2014, the cast and crew raised the roof of the Hackney Empire.
Emmerdale won Best Soap for the first time in 2016 and did the double by scooping it again last year.
But when it comes to winning streaks it is former Corrie star Michelle Keegan who sets the standard after winning Sexiest Female six years in a row between 2009 and 2014.
The brunette, who played Tina McIntyre before she was killed off by Carla Connor’s brother Rob Donovan, is soap’s undisputed Sexiest-ever star. While EastEnder Scott Maslen, who played Jack Branning, won the award for sexiest male four times in a row between
2009 and 2012.
Corrie has won the accolade for Best Comedy Performance for the last eight years.
Winners include Dolly Rose Campbell, Sally Dynevor, Patti Clare and Simon Gregson.
Hollyoaks star Ellis Hollins is still the youngest-ever winner of a soap award. He was just six when in 2006 he was presented with Best Young Performer.
The oldest winner is Corrie legend
Betty Driver, inset, who won the Lifetime Achievement Award in
2010 at the age of 90.
But there can only be one top dog and that goes to Edna Birch’s beloved pooch Batley, played by Bracken the dog, who scooped Best Exit in 2002.
In heartbreaking scenes, Edna, played by Shirley Stelfox, was forced to take Batley to village vet Paddy Kirk to have him put down. Bracken took to the stage with Shirley to collect his award from Graham Norton.
Other big winners over the years include Suranne Jones, Katherine Kelly, Lacey Turner and Emma Rigby, who all won Best Actress. Martin Kemp, Shane Richie, Chris Fountain, Danny Miller, David Neilson and Alan Halsall have all scooped Best Actor.
With this year’s event set to be bigger than ever as it marks its 20th year with a number of surprises, it’s going to be another fierce battle for the gongs. A soap awards source said: “This year feels really special. And who doesn’t want to win big at the 20th anniversary?”
You can vote for your favourites in this year’s British Soap Awards by going to britishsoapawards.tv when the shortlists are announced on Tuesday.