It’s been a busy year in soapland, with storylines keeping the nation entertained while also tackling important and timely issues that affect us all.
We asked you to vote in a number of Soap categories in the Digital Spy Reader Awards 2023, and the results are now in. The TV categories have already been announced and you can see the winners
But who have been your Soap favourites in 2023?
Read the full rundown below.
This year Danielle Harold, recently seen on I’m A Celeb, left EastEnders after her character Lola Pearce-Brown died from a brain tumour – and for her work on this devastating storyline, you have voted her Best Actor this year. This is another nod for Danielle, after she won Best Actress in last year’s awards.
Not only was this a win for EastEnders, but staggeringly, the soap has made up the entire top five in the category. In second place is Lacey Turner as Stacey Slater and in third is Jamie Borthwick as Lola’s partner Jay Brown. Rounding out the top five are Balvinder Sopal as Suki Panesar and Shona McGarty as Whitney Dean.
Gina Knight, alongside her sister Anna, arrived on Albert Square earlier this year and immediately made a big impression with viewers – and Francesca Henry has earned the title of Rising Star this year. In second place is fellow EastEnders actor Sophia Khan Levy who plays Priya-Nandra Hart, a character who only made her first appearance in the soap in October.
Other up-and-coming actors recognised in this category include Luana Santos, who plays Sabrina Adetiba in Coronation Street, Lewis Cope as Nicky Milligan in Emmerdale, and Naomi Rukavina as Remi Varga-Murphy in Neighbours.
Here’s a message from your winner, Francesca Henry:
It might not be much of a surprise after an excellent last 12 months but for the fourth year running, EastEnders has won Best Evening Soap in the Reader Awards. This is followed by the ITV soaps, with Coronation Street in second place, and Emmerdale in third.
Celebrating the award win on behalf of EastEnders is Harriet Thorpe, who plays Elaine Peacock in the soap: