When it comes to the soaps there's no doubt that Coronation Street has clawed its way back to the top. Well, that's the case if the British Soap Awards nominations are anything to go by anyway. Corrie's nabbed 18 nominations, while the EastEnders follow with 17.
She may have just announced her plans to leave Weatherfield, but Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre) lands herself nods for Sexiest Female (which she'll probably win) and Best Actress (which we're guessing she won't), while Natalie Gumede (Kirsty Soames) tops the list for Villain of the Year. We're going to call it and say herself and Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs) are most likely to pick up Best Storyline, and much as we loved waving a long overdue goodbye to Derek Branning, we can hardly see it pipping the pair to the post.
Speaking of the EastEnders David Witts (Joey Branning) is our favourite to pick up Sexiest Male (we just want to hear his accent when he gives that acceptance speech), and he really is the best of the bunch in our eyes. Surely they could do with a few Irish lads in there. I mean these oul British soaps may be great and all, but they ain't got Blackie Connors tearin' up the town now have they? Or sprightly Kilkenny farmer Tommy Dillon tending to the gardens. Now there's a pair of sexy manly men if ever we saw them, wha? Sure we're surprised young Judy could contain herself at all...
Moving back to the East End, we can't quite understand why Shane 'Alfie Moon' Richie has made the list for Best Actor. Guess staring mournfully after Kat for a few weeks will do that for you. That big 'Kat Moon's Lover' reveal was definitely not worthy of Best Episode... even if they did have us thinking it might actually be Max for a few seconds there. We would, however, be rather happy to see Nina Wadia (Zainab) take Best Actress for her East End swan song, and herself and Nitin Ganatra (Masood) winning Best On-Screen Partnership. She's sorely missed, and we're not too excited about his next errr, pairing. Keep your eyes and ears open... if you can *heaves*
And finally, dear old Emmerdale, as always, trails the leading pair (and Hollyoaks actually) with 14 nominations, including Best Exit for Carl King. Considering they broadcast the whole thing live it'd surely be rude not to give it to them, right?
Voting has no re-opened to the public for all categories, including those that were selected by a panel of judges. Head on over to the British Soap Awards website to cast your vote, and check back with us before May to find out when the show will be hitting your tellybox.
See the nominations, including those for Hollyoaks and the poor oul Doctors (they must just show up for the free booze) in full below:
Sexiest Male
Chris Fountain (Tommy Duckworth, Coronation Street)
David Witts (Joey Branning, EastEnders)
Matthew Wolfenden (David Metcalfe, Emmerdale)
Danny Mac (Dodger Savage, Hollyoaks)
Kieron Richardson (Ste Hay, Hollyoaks)
Sexiest Female
Georgia May Foote (Katy Armstrong, Coronation Street)
Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre, Coronation Street)
Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren Branning, EastEnders)
Natalie Anderson (Alicia Gallagher, Emmerdale)
Jorgie Porter (Theresa McQueen, Hollyoaks)
Villain of the Year
Natalie Gumede (Kirsty Soames, Coronation Street)
Nigel Havers (Lewis Archer, Coronation Street)
Jamie Foreman (Derek Branning, EastEnders)
Dominic Power (Cameron Murray, Emmerdale)
Emmett J. Scanlan (Brendan Brady, Hollyoaks)
Best Actor
Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs, Coronation Street)
Nitin Ganatra (Masood Ahmed, EastEnders)
Shane Richie (Alfie Moon, EastEnders)
Jeff Hordley (Cain Dingle, Emmerdale)
Emmett J. Scanlan (Brendan Brady, Hollyoaks)
Best Actress
Jennie McAlpine (Fiz Stape, Coronation Street)
Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre, Coronation Street)
Jessie Wallace (Kat Moon, EastEnders)
Nina Wadia (Zainab Khan, EastEnders)
Claire Cooper (Jacqui McQueen, Hollyoaks)
Best British Soap
Coronation Street
Doctors
EastEnders
Emmerdale
Hollyoaks
PANEL-VOTED CATEGORIES
Best Newcomer
Marc Baylis (Rob Donovan, Coronation Street)
Ian Midlane (Doctor Al Haskey, Doctors)
Khali Best (Dexter Hartman, EastEnders)
Laura Norton (Kerry Wyatt, Emmerdale)
Joseph Thompson (Doctor Paul Browning, Hollyoaks)
Best Exit
Nigel Havers (Lewis Archer, Coronation Street)
Lu Corfield (Freya Wilson, Doctors)
Jamie Foreman (Derek Branning, EastEnders)
Tom Lister (Carl King, Emmerdale)
Emmett J. Scanlan (Brendan Brady, Hollyoaks)
Best Comedy Performance
Patti Clare (Mary Taylor, Coronation Street)
Ian Kelsey (Howard Bellamy, Doctors)
Ricky Norwood (Arthur 'Fatboy' Chubb, EastEnders)
Dominic Brunt (Paddy Kirk, Emmerdale)
Nicole Barber-Lane (Myra McQueen, Hollyoaks)
Best On-Screen Partnership
Jennie McAlpine and Alan Halsall (Fiz Stape and Tyrone Dobbs, Coronation Street)
Matthew Chambers and Elisabeth Dermot Walsh (Doctor Daniel Granger and Doctor Zara Carmichael, Doctors)
Nitin Ganatra and Nina Wadia (Masood Ahmed and Zainab Khan, EastEnders)
Lucy Pargeter and Dominic Power (Chas Spencer and Cameron Murray, Emmerdale)
Emmett J. Scanlan and Kieron Richardson (Brendan Brady and Ste Hay, Hollyoaks)
Best Dramatic Performance
Natalie Gumede (Kirsty Soames, Coronation Street)
Dido Miles (Doctor Emma Reid, Doctors)
Jo Joyner (Tanya Cross, EastEnders)
Lucy Pargeter (Chas Spencer, Emmerdale)
Claire Cooper (Jacqui McQueen, Hollyoaks)
Best Young Performance
Ellie Leach (Faye Windass, Coronation Street)
Maisie Smith (Tiffany Butcher, EastEnders)
Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle, Emmerdale)
Ellis Hollins (Tom Osborne, Hollyoaks)
Spectacular Scene of the Year
The Rovers fire (Coronation Street)
Julia's car crash (Doctors)
The Olympic torch comes live to Walford (EastEnders)
Cain's clifftop rescue of Zak (Emmerdale)
The bus crash (Hollyoaks)
Best Episode
Kirsty's treachery ends in Tyrone's arrest (Coronation Street)
'The Scales' (Doctors)
The identity of Kat's lover is revealed (EastEnders)
'Emmerdale Live' (Emmerdale)
The bus crash (Hollyoaks)
Best Storyline
Kirsty's abuse of Tyrone (Coronation Street)
Sam's assisted suicide (Doctors)
The demise of Derek Branning (EastEnders)
Zak's depression (Emmerdale)
Esther's bullying (Hollyoaks)