Lacey’s Stacey nets soaps award

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

EASTENDERS star Lacey Turner, who plays the troubled Stacey Slater, scooped best actress for the fourth year in succession at the Inside Soap awards last night.

The show took seven trophies, including best soap, ahead of Manchester rival Coronation Street.

The Street’s five awards included best actor for Gray O’Brien, who plays murderous businessman Tony Gordon.

Long-running police series The Bill, which was recently revamped, won best drama for the fourth year in a row.

Other winners at the London ceremony included best young actor for Coronation Street’s Alex Bain, who plays Peter Barlow’s son Simon.

The McQueens of Hollyoaks took a newly-introduced award for best soap family.

Coronation Street veteran Maggie Jones, who plays the cutting yet comical Blanche Hunt, was honoured for funniest performance.

The storyline of the year was won by EastEnders for the death of teenager Danielle, the daughter Ronnie Mitchell was forced to give up for adoption by father Archie.

Best Bad Boy was taken by EastEnders’ Larry Lamb for his role as scheming Archie Mitchell, who constructed a web of lies to keep his daughter Ronnie (Samantha Womack) from knowing she was the mother of Danielle Jones (Lauren Crace).

The awards, voted for by the readers of Inside Soap magazine, were among the most hotly contested on record, according to the publication’s editor Steven Murphy.

Collecting the award for Best Soap along with his co-stars, Charlie G Hawkins (Darren Miller) said the cast had put in a lot of "hard graft".

He added: "We’ve had highs and lows but as long as we keep doing good and keep the fans happy they keep watching."

Best Actress winner Lacey Turner said: "It really means a lot to me. Thank you very much from everyone from EastEnders for this opportunity and for all the help and support."

Giving his acceptance speech in a pre-recorded video, Best Actor Gray O’Brien said it was "quite a shock" to win.

He added: "I’m touched and honoured. I didn’t know any of you watched it."

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, September 29, 2009