EMMERDALE won big at tonight’s British Soap Awards with four awards each, including taking home the big award for Best Soap.
The glittering bash took place for the first time in three years since the pandemic made it impossible for the ceremony to happen in person.
ITV’s Emmerdale won the big prize taking home Best British Soap after a critically-acclaimed year.
Meanwhile serial killer Meena Jutla star Paige Sandhu winning Best Leading Performer.
She beat out competition from her co-star Mark Charnock to take the coveted prize.
However Mark did take home the Best Dramatic Performance prize for his performance of Marlon’s stroke storyline.
The soap also took home the Best Family prize for its Dingle clan.
Dynasty icon Stephanie Beacham presented the award for Best Soap to the Emmerdale cast who jumped up in excitement and disbelief at their big win.
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They filed onto the London stage with Lydia Hart actress Karen Blick taking to the microphone to give the acceptance speech.
“Well done to the whole team who did not go off-air for the whole of the pandemic,” she started.
“It is an absolute honour in our 50th year, there is going to be more drama in the Dales.
“This is for everybody back in Yorkshire for the ADs, we are delighted and honoured.
“Now we can go to the bar! Now we can go to the bar.”
While many viewers were delighted with Emmerdale’s win, plenty of others labelled it ‘suspicious’ with some going as far as labelling it a ‘fix.’
“This has got 2 b a bl**dy #fix,” complained one fan on Twitter.
Another added: “This is a bigger fix than yesterday’s episode of The Chase.”
A third wrote: “EastEnders should of won that!!!!!!! The best Soap of the year by a country mile.”
And a fourth commented: “Some very questionable “results” in tonight’s #SoapAwards… While I do, genuinely, congratulate all Winners – particularly @MarkCharnock – I’d be very interested to know the voting figures in the audience determined categories. #TeamCorrie #Corrie.”
Rival soap Coronation Street took home just three awards while Hollyoaks won just two gongs.
EastEnders star Tameka Empson won the gong for Best Comedy Performer while Lacey Turner and Gillian Wright were crowned Best On-screen partnership.
The soap also won Best Newcomer for actor Ross Boatman’s portrayal of Harvey Monroe.
And Walford icon Letitia Dean was given the Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award that was presented by her on-screen mum Anita Dobson.
Corrie managed three awards with Millie Gibson, 17, taking the Best Young Performer gong.
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It also had a shock result taking the Best Villain category with Maximus Evans taking the prize for his role as killer Corey Brent.
Hollyoaks took home two awards for Best Storyline and the Scene of the Year for Misbah’s historic rape.
