Clean sweep at the National Television Awards

Best continuing drama series

EastEnders made it three for three in the National Television Awards aired on ITV tonight, as it picked up the award for Best Continuing Drama series.

Coronation Street, Hollyoaks and Emmerdale were also up for the award, which was voted for by members of the public through a phone vote running during the award ceremony itself, hosted by Dermot O’Leary.

ITV soaps were smarting from a lack of success on the evening as it saw other categories lost to EastEnders including Ricky Norwood’s win as Fatboy Chubb in Best Newcomer, and Lacey Turner’s win in Outstanding Serial Drama Performance.

Ricky wins best newcomer

Ricky Norwood has won the award for Best Newcomer at the National Television Awards, beating other nominees from Coronation Street, Holby City and Emmerdale.

Ricky joined EastEnders through the first series of breakaway spin-off EastEnders: E20 in January 2009, and transferred across to the main show afterwards with the other cast members.

He’s now just one of the two remaining characters left in the show.

Swansong for Lacey

Lacey Turner, better known to millions as Stacey Branning in EastEnders has won the award for Outstanding Serial Drama Performance in the National Television Awards, as aired on ITV on Wednesday 26 January.

It brought the tally of awards so far to two for EastEnders, in the wake of Ricky Norwood’s win as Fatboy Chubb.

Also nominated in the category was Steve McFadden from EastEnders, Danny Miller from Emmerdale and Kat Kelly from Coronation Street.