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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Lauren Del Fabbro

EastEnders dominates British Soap Awards with eight prizes

EastEnders’ Navin Chowdhry, pictured with screen wife Balvinder Sopal, was named Villain of the Year for his portrayal of Nish Panesar (Ian West/PA) - (PA Wire)

EastEnders dominated the British Soap Awards with eight prizes including Best British Soap.

The ceremony, hosted at Hackney Empire in London by singer Jane McDonald, saw stars from the biggest soaps in the country go head to head for best scenes, performances and storylines.

The BBC show took home the highly anticipated award for best British soap with the trophy presented by Only Fools and Horses actor Sir David Jason.

Anita Dobson, who played Angie Watts in EastEnders, attending the British Soap Awards 2025 (Ian West/PA) (PA Wire)

Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell, took home the award for Best Dramatic Performance and EastEnders also claimed the award for Best Single Episode for Phil’s Psychosis which saw him hallucinate scenes from the Mitchell family home in 1985.

Eastenders won Scene Of The Year for Angie Watts’ shock return as a ghost during its 40th anniversary episode.

Navin Chowdhry took home the Villain of the Year award for his portrayal of Nish Panesar, the calculating manipulative husband to Suki Panesar, played by Balvinder Sopal, who was killed by his son after being pushed off a balcony.

Eastenders’ Patsy Palmer, who plays Bianca Jackson, took home Best Comedy performance while Lacey Turner claimed Best Leading Performer for her portrayal of Stacey Slater.

Best On-Screen Partnership was won by Rudolph Walker, who plays Patrick Trueman and Angela Wynter, who plays his ex-wife Yolande Trueman.

Rudolph Walker and Angela Wynter won Best On-Screen Partnership (Ian West/PA) (PA Wire)

Hollyoaks took home three awards including Best Newcomer for Isabelle Smith who plays Frankie Osborne, the daughter of Suzanne Ashworth and Darren Osborne and twin sister of JJ Osborne.

The Channel 4 soap won Best Storyline for raising the issue of sibling sexual abuse and the Osbornes were named Best Family.

ITV’s Emmerdale won Best Young Performer for 16-year old Amelia Flanagan who plays April Windsor, the half-sister of Leo Goskirk and daughter of police officer Donna Windsor and chef Marlon Dingle.

The Tony Warren Award went to Emmerdale’s Mike Plant.

Among the stars on the red carpet were Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter (left) and Coronation Street actress Tina O’Brien who wore the same dress (Ian West/PA) (PA Wire)

Coronation Street took home only one prize with an outstanding achievement award  for David Neilson, cafe owner Roy Cropper, who joined the show nearly three decades ago.

The award was presented by Julie Hesmondhalgh who played Roy’s late wife Hayley Cropper.

Among the stars on the red carpet on Saturday evening were Hollyoaks actress Jorgi Porter and Coronation Street’s Tina O’Brien who had chosen the the same dress.

The awards will air at 8pm on Thursday June 5 on ITV1 and ITVX.

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