Coronation Street triumphs over EastEnders at British Soap Awards 2013

Coronation Street dominated the British Soap Awards scooping eight out of 16 awards including Best Soap.

Meanwhile, EastEnders left the ceremony in Manchester almost empty handed, with just a Lifetime Achievement award for Adam Woodyatt, who has played Ian Beale since the soap began.

ITV soap Corrie proved a hit with fans taking home three out of five of the public-voted awards.

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Alan Halsall accepted his Best Actor award just after the ceremony had paid tribute to Bill Tarmey, Corrie's Jack Duckworth, who died last November aged 71.

Halsall said: "Fancy bringing me up here after he's (Tarmey) been on the screen. I owe a lot to that man, he means a lot to me.

"I firmly believe that you're only as good as the people around you and so thank you to everybody who works at Coronation Street and every cast member.

"I'd also like to thank my beautiful wife Lucy-Jo Hudson and also our special guest, our baby bump. Can't wait to meet ya!"

Malcolm Hebden who plays comedy character Norris Cole accepted the Best Soap award on behalf of Coronation Street, flanked by all his co-stars.

He said: "I'm not really sure why I've been chosen to accept this award. I was hoping for Sexiest Male but you take what you can get.

"And I don't see what's funny about that!

"But we're all thrilled and the public have voted for us so we must be doing our job properly.

"Thank you the public. We love you!"

Corrie beauty Michelle Keegan was voted Sexiest Female for the fifth time in a row.

The actress, who has just announced she will leave the soap next year, laughed: "I can't believe it. This is ridiculous. I'm going to get this out in 50 years and be the coolest gran ever!"

Accepting Villain of the Year, Natalie Gumede confessed she had felt "strange" about being called a villain, but admitted "this is great".

Also taking home Best Dramatic Performance, she thanked co-star Halsall. She has previously admitted how hard she found it to play abusive Kirsty Soames, who suffered violent fits of rage.

Gumede, who last year won Best Newcomer, said: "I really feel this award belongs to everyone at Coronation Street. In the last year I have been picked up and put back together so many times and it's been the experience of my life."

The British Soap Awards Winners in full:

• Sexiest Male - Danny Mac, Dodger Savage, Hollyoaks
• Sexiest Female - Michelle Keegan, Tina McIntyre, Coronation Street
• Villain of the Year - Natalie Gumede, Kirsty Soames, Coronation Street
• Best Actor - Alan Halsall, Tyrone Dobbs, Coronation Street
• Best Actress - Claire Cooper, Jacqui McQueen, Hollyoaks
• Best British Soap - Coronation Street
• Best Comedy Performance - Patti Clare, Mary Taylor, Coronation Street
• Best Dramatic Performance - Natalie Gumede, Kirsty Soames, Coronation Street
• Best Young Performance - Eden Taylor-Draper, Belle Dingle, Emmerdale
• Best Exit - Nigel Havers, Lewis Archer, Coronation Street
• Best Newcomer - Joseph Thompson, Dr Paul Browning, Hollyoaks
• Best On-Screen Partnership - Kieron Richardson and Emmett J Scanlan, Ste Hay and Brendan Brady, Hollyoaks
• Best Storyline - Kirsty's Abuse of Tyrone, Coronation Street
• Spectacular Scene of the Year - The Bus Crash, Hollyoaks
• Best Single Episode - Emmerdale 40th anniversary live episode
• Lifetime Achievement Award - Adam Woodyatt, Ian Beale, EastEnders

PA