Inside Soap Awards: Emmerdale beats EastEnders to top prize

Tameka Empson won funniest female for her role as Kim Fox-Hubbard in EastEnders

EastEnders was the big winner at this year's Inside Soap Awards, taking home five prizes in total.

But it lost out on the night's top award, best soap, to ITV's Emmerdale.

Trophies won by EastEnders included best actor for Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell, and best actress for Lacey Turner, the soap's Stacey Fowler.

Tameka Empson, who is currently competing in Strictly Come Dancing, won funniest female for the fifth time.

EastEnders' other two awards were for Jacqueline Jossa, who won sexiest female, and best exit for the departure of Peggy Mitchell, played by Dame Barbara Windsor.

Jacqueline Jossa, who plays Lauren Branning in EastEnders, was named sexiest female

 The Inside Soap awards, which were held at London's Hippodrome Casino, are voted for entirely by fans.

Emmerdale's victory in the biggest category of the night followed the show's best soap win at the British Soap Awards earlier this year.

The programme took home four trophies at the Inside Soap awards, including best shock twist for the death of Val, played by Charlie Hardwick, and a third consecutive win in the best young actor category for Amelia Flanagan, who plays April Windsor.

Eight-year-old Flanagan said: "It has been amazing to win three times in a row - I feel very lucky."

The best partnership award went to Ryan Hawley and Danny Miller, who play Emmerdale couple Robert Sugden and Aaron Dingle.

Connor McIntyre won best bad boy, while Charlie Hardwick took home best shock twist

Coronation Street also took home four awards, including best bad boy for Connor McIntyre for his portrayal of Pat Phelan, and funniest male for Joe Duttine, who stars as Tim Metcalfe.

Former X Factor winner Shayne Ward made it a hat trick of best newcomer prizes, having also won in the category both at this year's National Television Awards and TV Choice Awards.

Ward said the Inside Soap win was "the cherry on top" of a great year.

"I've been blessed to have such great storylines in the first year that I've been here. This just rounds it off," he said.

Source: BBC