The stars are out tonight!
The soapies partied into the early hours at this year’s Inside Soap Awards…
Once the stars had finished cheering on their favourites at the Awards ceremony, the party started – and our spies were there all night to get the gossip…
He might be our Best Actor, but the Dales’ Danny Miller (Aaron) isn’t high maintenance. He’s party-ready in an instant – and the morning after is no trouble, either… “I’m the first one down to the hotel bar,” he insisted. “Quick shower, shirt and jacket on, couple of gins, then I’m here! And I already have my hangover remedy ready – a can of Fanta!”
New mum Jennifer Metcalfe
(Hollyoaks’ Mercedes) was thrilled to be enjoying a night out on the town with her cast mates, and while she intended to make the most of it, she also planned to proceed with caution. “I’m going to try to let my hair down tonight!” she announced. “You feel like you have a hangover every day with a baby – trying to function on not much sleep – although I’m a bit scared about actually having to cope with a real hangover!”
Eastenders’ Shaheen
Jafargholi (Shakil) was feeling the soapie love, and all set to mingle. “It’s exciting to see the other soaps and say hello to people – these events bring people together. I like the vibe, and the fact that everyone’s here for the same reason. You can chat and find out you have common ground with so many people. It’s quite a unique job, being in a soap!”
Corrie stars Julia Goulding
(Shona) and Nicola Thorp
(Nicola) were inseparable all night, and Julia reckoned it was lucky her pal didn’t nab her Best Newcomer Award by mistake! “I’d give the Best Shona Impersonator award to Nicola,” she said. “People always get us mixed up! I’d also give Jack P Shepherd [David] the Most Handsome award, because of his new beard.”
While Eastender Louise hasn’t been in the mood for a party of late, Tilly Keeper shared her idea of a perfect Walford night out… “I’d love an evening with Kathy!” giggled the star. “I don’t drink much, but Kathy is so funny after a few glasses. Or we could invite Sharon and Carmel over for a girlie night, with a bottle of wine!”
Corrie’s Tina O’brien (Sarah) went for a rock’n’roll outfit, and looked amazing in her strapless party dress. She told us that her nine-year-old daughter, Scarlett, had given it her seal of approval too… “My dress is from Boohoo,” revealed the 34-year-old. “My daughter models for them!”
She looked a million dollars, but generous
Best Daytime Star Lorna Laidlaw (Doctors’ Mrs
Tembe) admitted she doesn’t spend too much on her party outfits.
“I’m not the sort of person who dresses up
– I find it stressful,” she shared. “So I’ve made the decision to rotate outfits and give the money I’d spend on a new one to charity. This dress is four years old, but it can come out in different guises – with a shawl, or a little fur coat. I would rather give the money to a good cause!”
The Dales’ Dominic Brunt (Paddy) loves a night out, but he admits he doesn’t party as much as he used to. “The cast all used to live with each other, and we’d all go out together,” he claimed.
“Over the years, though, we’ve got married and had children, so that has all changed.” Kieron Richardson (Hollyoaks’ Ste) is no stranger to an awards do, yet he admitted that he still had trouble mastering the dress code for the evening… “The last time I came to the
Inside Soap Awards, I was overdressed and everyone
else was quite casual,” recalled the actor. “So this year I chose to go more casual, but I’ve arrived and everyone is dressed up!”
The Square’s Carmel is dating Max right now – though with Nitin Ganatra soon to return, is a reunion on the cards for her and Masood? Bonnie Langford (Carmel) ponders the same… “Masood treated Carmel pretty badly!” she reminded us. “But in some respects I love their relationship, because she’s not fazed by him. So I do wonder whether they’ll end up playing that on-off thing again.”
Walford pals Shaheen (Shakil) and Jasmine Armfield (Bex) are all sorted for Christmas already. “We’re spending it together!” shared Shaheen. “Jasmine’s parents are away, so we’ll be at a friend’s house.” But the celebrations won’t stop there… “I might host a New Year’s Eve party now that I’ve got my own place,” grinned Jasmine.
Jamie Lomas (Warren) may have said goodbye to Hollyoaks, but his co-star Anna Passey (Sienna) is more than happy to trade him in for another… “Forget Jamie, it’s his sister I need!” joked the actress. “His sister Cassie owns a make-up academy, and she’s sorted out my make-up for tonight. She’s incredible!”
The pressure was on for Sexiest
Female Natalie J Robb (the Dales’ Moira) when it came to outfit shopping – so she roped in her mates and made a day of it. “My best friends took me out – they picked this and I said, ‘That’s great, it’ll do!’,” she told us. “They were like, ‘Are you serious?’. But I like having time for lunch! I’m not a big shopper…”
It was
Nathan Morris’ (Hollyoaks’ Milo) first time at the Inside Soap Awards – and the actor was full of praise for all his costars. But Nathan believed that one man deserved an award all to himself… “Duncan James [Ryan] should get
Best Bum!” he suggested.