EastEnders leads British Soap Award nominations

EastEnders has been nominated for 18 prizes at this year's British Soap Awards, held later this month.

The BBC One programme is up for best soap with Jo Joyner shortlisted for the top actress title.

She is also nominated in the dramatic performance category, as well as best on-screen partnership and best storyline.

ITV1's Coronation Street is up for 14 awards with Emmerdale nominated 11 times and Hollyoaks up for 10 gongs.

Jo Joyner, 34, faces competition in the best actress category from co-star Nina Wadia, who plays Zainab Khan, as well as Coronation Street's Alison King (Carla Connor) and Hollyoaks star Karen Hassan (Lynsey Nolan).

Coronation Street's Michelle Keegan and Scott Maslen from EastEnders are again nominated for the sexiest female and male after winning last year.

This year Keegan, who plays Tina McIntyre on the street, is up against EastEnders' Jacqueline Jossa, (Lauren Branning), Preeya Kalidas (Amira Masood) and Hollyoaks' Jorgie Porter, who plays Theresa McQueen in the Channel 4 soap.

The departure of Pam St Clement from EastEnders, who played Pat Butcher, is nominated for the best single episode.

The BBC soap will compete against Coronation Street, Doctors, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks for the title of best British soap.

A lifetime achievement award and a special achievement award will be announced on the night.

The awards, held in London later this month, will be presented by Phillip Schofield and be shown on ITV1 in May.

The full list of nominees is as follows:

Sexiest male

Coronation Street: Chris Fountain (Tommy Duckworth)

EastEnders: Scott Maslen (Jack Branning)

Emmerdale: Matthew Wolfenden (David Metcalfe)

Hollyoaks: Danny Mac Mac (Mark 'Dodger' Savage)

Sexiest female

Coronation Street: Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre)

EastEnders: Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren Branning)

EastEnders: Preeya Kalidas (Amira Masood)

Hollyoaks: Jorgie Porter (Theresa McQueen)

Villain of the year

Coronation Street: Andrew Lancel (Frank Foster)

EastEnders: Ace Bhatti (Dr Yusef Khan)

EastEnders: Joshua Pascoe (Ben Mitchell)

Hollyoaks: Jeff Rawle (Silas Blissett)

Best actor

Coronation Street: Chris Gascoyne (Peter Barlow)

EastEnders: Shane Richie (Alfie Moon)

Emmerdale: Danny Miller (Aaron Livesy)

Hollyoaks: Emmett J Scanlan (Brendan Brady)

Best actress

Coronation Street: Alison King (Carla Connor)

EastEnders: Jo Joyner (Tanya Jessop)

EastEnders: Nina Wadia (Zainab Khan)

Hollyoaks: Karen Hassan (Lynsey Nolan)

Best comedy performance

Coronation Street: Stephanie Cole (Sylvia Goodwin)

Doctors: Jan Pearson (Karen Hollins)

EastEnders: Tameka Empson (Kim Fox)

Hollyoaks: Joe Tracini (Dennis Savage)

Best young performance

Coronation Street: Alexander Bain (Simon Barlow)

Doctors: Charlie Kenyon (Cameron Waterhouse)

EastEnders: Lorna Fitzgerald (Abi Branning)

Emmerdale: Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle)

Spectacular scene of the year

Coronation Street: Carla's car crash

EastEnders: Fire at the B&B

Emmerdale: John & Moira's car accident

Hollyoaks: Rae's murder

Best on-screen partnership

Doctors: Matthew Chambers and Elisabeth Dermot Walsh (Dr Daniel Granger and Dr Zara Carmichael)

EastEnders: Jake Wood and Jo Joyner (Max Branning and Tanya Jessop)

Emmerdale: Jeff Hordley and Emma Atkins (Cain Dingle and Charity Sharma)

Hollyoaks: Ashley Taylor Dawson and Jessica Fox (Darren Osborne and Nancy Osborne)

Best newcomer

Coronation Street: Natalie Gumede (Kirsty Soames)

Doctors: Lu Corfield (Freya Wilson)

EastEnders: Jamie Foreman (Derek Branning)

Emmerdale: Gemma Oaten (Rachel Breckle)

Best exit

Coronation Street: Katherine Kelly (Becky McDonald)

EastEnders: Pam St. Clement (Pat Evans)

Emmerdale: James Thornton (John Barton)

Hollyoaks: Kim Tiddy (Heidi Costello)

Best dramatic performance

Coronation Street: Alison King (Carla Connor)

Doctors: Owen Brenman (Dr Heston Carter)

EastEnders: Jo Joyner (Tanya Jessop)

Emmerdale: Jeff Hordley (Cain Dingle)

Best storyline

Coronation Street: Carla's ordeal

Doctors: A perfect murder

EastEnders: The Brannings deal with Tanya's diagnosis

Emmerdale: Jackson's choice

Best single episode

Coronation Street: Becky's final farewell

Doctors: Last words

EastEnders: Pat: The end of an era

Emmerdale: The longest day

Best British soap

Coronation Street, Doctors, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks