Former BBC EastEnders star heading to Manchester as soap awards in city name host

One of EastEnders' former stars will be taking to the stage in Manchester this summer as the best of the UK's soaps are celebrated in a special ceremony.

It was announced earlier this month that the inaugural RadioTimes.com Soap Awards 2024, sponsored by Inspired Villages, will celebrate the very best of the much-loved British TV soaps, Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks in Manchester in July.

The awards will be held at The Midland Hotel in Manchester on Saturday, July 13. Among those expected to attend the ceremony will be members of the cast of the previously mentioned soaps, all of whom will hit the red carpet before battling it out for the top awards on the night.

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And it's now been confirmed that Brian Conley will be in charge of proceedings as he's been announced as the evening's host. The actor and comedian said: "I'm honoured and delighted to be hosting the RadioTimes.com Soap Awards! It's going to be a lot of fun celebrating the very best from the wonderful world of soap - and there'll probably be a few surprises along the way, too!"

Meanwhile, fans of the soaps will be able to vote for their soap favourites in six of the 12 categories, including the prestigious award for Best Soap. A further six awards will be decided by a panel of soap experts, and RadioTimes.com will also be awarding the Special Recognition award to a star who has made a significant contribution to the world of TV and Soap.

The categories and nominations for the RadioTimes.com Soap Awards, sponsored by Inspired Villages include: Best Soap, Best Villain, Best Comedy, Best Exit, Soap Moment of the Year, Inspiring Storyline of the Year, Best Actor, Best Storyline, Best Newcomer, Best Twist, Best Young Performer and Best Episode.

RadioTimes.com Soap Awards categories and nominations in full:

Best Soap - Voted for by fans

• Coronation Street

• EastEnders

• Emmerdale

• Hollyoaks

Best Villain - Voted for by fans

• Todd Boyce (Stephen Reid), Coronation Street

• Will Mellor (Harvey Gaskell), Coronation Street

• Navin Chowdhry (Nish Panesar), EastEnders

• Matt Di Angelo (Dean Wicks), EastEnders

• Beth Cordingly (Ruby Fox-Mulligan), Emmerdale

• James Chase (Tom King), Emmerdale

• David Ames (Carter Shepherd), Hollyoaks

• Glynis Barber (Norma Crow), Hollyoaks

Best Comedy Performance - Voted for by fans

• Jodie Prenger (Glenda Shuttleworth), Coronation Street

• Jonny Freeman (Reiss Colwell), EastEnders

• Lisa Riley (Mandy Dingle), Emmerdale

• Jorgie Porter (Theresa McQueen), Hollyoaks

• Diane Langton (Nana McQueen), Hollyoaks

Best Exit - Voted for by fans

• Todd Boyce (Stephen Reid), Coronation Street

• Chris Gascoyne (Peter Barlow), Coronation Street

• Danny Walters (Keanu Taylor), EastEnders

• Elizabeth Counsell (Gloria Knight), EastEnders

• Bhasker Patel (Rishi Sharma), Emmerdale

• Sebastian Dowling (Heath Hope), Emmerdale

• Owen Warner (Romeo Nightingale), Hollyoaks

• Erin Palmer (Ella Richardson), Hollyoaks

Soap Moment of the Year - Voted for by fans

• Stephen’s showdown in the pub, Coronation Street

• Sixmas, EastEnders

• Charity, Mack and Chloe’s cliffhanger car crash, Emmerdale

• Ste realises he’s killed Ella, Hollyoaks

Inspiring Storyline of the Year - Voted for by fans

Sponsored by Inspired Villages

• Paul and Billy get married, Coronation Street

• Suki comes out to her family, EastEnders

• Jay and Honey run the London Marathon, EastEnders

• Mary’s quest for love in later life, Emmerdale

• Tony and Diane’s child comes out as trans, Hollyoaks

Best Actor - Voted for by a panel of soap experts

• Peter Ash (Paul Foreman), Coronation Street

• Alison King (Carla Connor), Coronation Street

• Elle Mulvaney (Amy Barlow), Coronation Street

• Colin Salmon (George Knight), EastEnders

• Balvinder Sopal (Suki Panesar), EastEnders

• Angela Wynter (Yolande Trueman), EastEnders

• Lucy Pargeter (Chas Dingle), Emmerdale

• Karen Blick (Lydia Dingle), Emmerdale

• Lesley Dunlop (Brenda Walker), Emmerdale

• Kieron Richardson (Ste Hay), Hollyoaks

• Jennifer Metcalfe (Mercedes McQueen), Hollyoaks

• David Ames (Carter Shepherd), Hollyoaks

Best Storyline - Voted for by a panel of soap experts

• Paul’s motor neurone disease diagnosis, Coronation Street

• Roy’s arrest, Coronation Street

• Teen bullying, Coronation Street

• Child farming, EastEnders

• The Six, EastEnders

• Cindy’s return, EastEnders

• Lydia’s rape, Emmerdale

• Pollard’s Parkinson’s diagnosis, Emmerdale

• Tom's domestic abuse of Belle, Emmerdale

• Ste kills Ella and covers it up, Hollyoaks

• Gay conversion, Hollyoaks

Best Newcomer - Voted for by a panel of soap experts

• Jack Carroll (Bobby Crawford), Coronation Street

• Francesca Henry (Gina Knight), EastEnders

• Beth Cordingly (Ruby Fox-Milligan), Emmerdale

• Iz Hesketh (Kitty Draper), Hollyoaks

Best Twist - Voted for by a panel of soap experts

• Tim’s alive, Coronation Street

• Peter kills Stephen, Coronation Street

• Cindy’s return, EastEnders

• Keanu’s Christmas Day death, EastEnders

• Aaron’s shock return, Emmerdale

• Who killed Lydia’s rapist?, Emmerdale

• Dilly is Rafe’s wife and Patrick’s daughter, Hollyoaks

• Mercedes’ twins have different dads, Hollyoaks

Best Young Performer - Voted for by a panel of soap experts

• Charlie Wrenshall (Liam Connor), Coronation Street

• Liam McCheyne (Dylan Wilson), Coronation Street

• Ellie Dadd (Amy Mitchell), EastEnders

• Jaden Ladega (Denzel Danes), EastEnders

• Elizabeth Green (Jade Masood), EastEnders

• Amelia Flanagan (April Windsor), Emmerdale

• Gabrielle Dowling (Cathy Hope), Emmerdale

• Rebecca Bakes (Angelica King), Emmerdale

• Ela-May Demirican (Leah Barnes), Hollyoaks

• Noah Holdsworth (Noah Holdsworth), Hollyoaks

Best Episode - Voted for by a panel of soap experts

• New Year’s Day, Coronation Street

• Paul and Billy wedding, Coronation Street

• Christmas Day, EastEnders

• George confronts Eddie, EastEnders

• Cliff-top crash, Emmerdale

• Tom and Belle’s wedding, Emmerdale

• Worlds Collide - Hollyoaks

To vote visit Radiotimes.com/soapawards.