EastEnders triumphs at Inside Soap awards

The Carter clan picked up the award for best soap family

EastEnders triumphed at this year's Inside Soap awards, picking up four awards including the coveted best soap title.

Actor Danny Dyer - who joined the BBC One soap at Christmas - led the charge with a best actor win for his role as Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter.

Dyer and co-stars including Kellie Bright, Sam Strike and Maddy Hill, also picked up the best family award.

"I think I've found my calling, this is my game," said Dyer.

"I've been in this game for a long time and had nothing, so winning this has been a strange feeling for me."

He added: "I grew up watching this [EastEnders], so to join it after it had lost its way for a while ... I feel like the new signing in a football team."

The soap's fourth award was for sexiest female, won by Jacqueline Jossa, who plays Lauren Branning.

Hollyoaks star Nikki Sanderson was left speechless by her best actress award

Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks all won three awards apiece, putting them just behind their BBC rival.

Coronation Street won awards for best bad boy and bad girl for Marc Baylis (Rob Donvan) and Kate Ford (Tracy Barlow) respectively, while long-serving cast member Simon Gregson won funniest male as Steve McDonald.

Hollyoaks won the best storyline award for the domestic abuse plot involving Jeremy Sheffield, as Patrick Blake, and Nikki Sanderson, as Maxine Minniver - who also received the best actress award.

"I've always been seen as the comedy glamorous character, so to be entrusted with this storyline for Maxine is huge," said Sanderson, adding: "I'm eternally grateful".

Danny Mac, aka Dodger Savage, won the sexiest male award for the third consecutive year.

Emmerdale's newest stars were rewarded, with Michael Parr winning best newcomer for his role as Ross Barton, and Amelia Flanagan winning best young actor as April Windsor. The funniest female award went to Laura Norton as Kerry Wyatt.

BBC One series Waterloo Road won best drama, while Neighbours won best daytime soap and Home and Away's Lincoln Younes (Casey Braxton) was named best daytime star.

The awards are voted for by readers of Inside Soap magazine.