Coronation Street triumphant at Inside Soap Awards as they win big including Best Soap

Coronation Street won six trophies at the Inside Soap Awards 2024, including some for its MND storyline (Image: ITV)

It was a big night for Coronation Street at the Inside Soap Awards 2024, with the show taking home the most trophies including the coveted Best Soap accolade.

The ITV soap opera was awarded six trophies, including Peter Ash, 39, winning Best Actor for his performance as Paul Foreman. The character was involved in a high-profile storyline that saw him diagnosed with MND, which won Best Storyline at this year’s ceremony, and fans were left devastated when Paul died in an episode earlier this month.

Peter also won Best Partnership alongside co-star Daniel Brocklebank, 44, who plays Paul’s husband Billy Mayhew. Whilst cast member Charlie Wrenshall, 15, won Best Young Performer for playing Liam Connor, and Dame Maureen Lipman, 78, was awarded Best Comic Performance for the fourth year in a row for her role as Evelyn Plummer.

Inside Soap editor Gary Brocart-Gillatt said: “The story of happy-go-lucky Paul’s MND diagnosis – and the effect it had on both Paul and those who loved him – has been the stand-out TV of 2024 for our voters.” Gary added: “It’s no surprise that Peter Ash’s tender portrayal of Paul has won him our Best Actor prize, and that’s no small achievement in what has been a truly golden year for soap.”

‌Meanwhile, Emmerdale star Eden Taylor-Draper, 26, won Best Actress for her performance as Belle King, who’s been the victim of coercive control in her marriage. While the Dingle clan – who will soon celebrate 30 years on the show – were named Best Family. This year’s ceremony also saw the introduction of the Inside Soap Award for Best Pet, which went to Minnie, who starred as Belle’s dog Piper.

‌EastEnders took home Best Showstopper – awarded to a “special soap event” – for their Christmas Day episode in which Linda Carter (played by Kellie Bright) killed Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters), as part of the ongoing ‘The Six’ storyline. Navin Chowdhry, 53, was awarded Best Villain for his role as Nish Panesar, whilst co-star Balvinder Sopal, 45, was named the Soap Superstar of 2024, for her performance Suki Panesar.

Coronation Street won six trophies at the Inside Soap Awards 2024, with several of them over the storyline involving character Paul Foreman’s MND diagnosis, which starred Peter Ash (left) and Daniel Brocklebank (right) ( Image: ITV)

Hollyoaks star Isabelle Smith won Best Newcomer for her portrayal of Frankie Osborne. The newly-relaunched Neighbours won Best Daytime Soap and cast member Ryan Moloney, 44, who plays Toadie Rebecchi, received Best Daytime Star. Adam Thomas, 36, won Best Drama Star for his role as Donte Charles in Waterloo Road.

Inside Soap awarded its prestigious Outstanding Achievement prize to a group rather than an individual for the very first time, paying tribute to the cast and crew of Doctors. It was announced last year that the BBC show had been axed, with its final run of episodes airing at the moment ahead of the finale in December.

Gary commented: “The BBC’s cancellation of Doctors – a wonderful launch pad for new writing and acting talent – was incredibly disappointing to see. We also know how much Doctors viewers love the show, so it’s on their behalf that we’ve awarded our Outstanding Achievement trophy to the team.”

The full line-up of prizes at this year’s Inside Soap Awards:

• Best Soap – Coronation Street
• Best Actress – Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle King, Emmerdale)
• Best Actor – Peter Ash (Paul Foreman, Coronation Street)
• Best Storyline – Paul’s MND (Coronation Street)
• ‌Best Showstopper – the Six: Linda kills Keanu (EastEnders)
• Best Newcomer – Isabelle Smith (Frankie Osborne, Hollyoaks)
• Best Villain – Navin Chowdhry (Nish Panesar, EastEnders)
• Best Comic Performance – Maureen Lipman (Evelyn Plummer, Coronation Street)
• Best Partnership – Daniel Brocklebank & Peter Ash (Billy Mayhew & Paul Foreman, Coronation Street)
• Best Young Performer – Charlie Wrenshall (Liam Connor, Coronation Street)
• Best Family – The Dingles (Emmerdale)
• Best Pet – Minnie (Piper, Emmerdale)
• ‌Best Daytime Star – Ryan Moloney (Toadie Rebecchi, Neighbours)
• Best Drama Star – Adam Thomas (Donte Charles, Waterloo Road)
• Best Daytime Soap – Neighbours
• Soap Superstar – Balvinder Sopal (Suki Panesar, EastEnders)
• Outstanding Achievement – The cast and crew of Doctors

It’s been revealed that more 90,000 soap fans vote each year for the awards ceremony, which are said to remain the only accolades of their kind awarded based solely on viewer votes. The first issue of Inside Soap was published in 1992 and it’s now a weekly title providing soap gossip, exclusive access and interviews.