Hollyoaks star Stephanie Davis has said being nominated for the best actress gong at this year’s British Soap Awards took “a few days to sink in”.
Davis, who plays Sinead Shelby in the Channel 4 soap, was among the stars on the red carpet for the event, being held at The Lowry theatre in Salford, Greater Manchester, on Saturday.
EastEnders and Hollyoaks lead the nominations with 14 nods each.
Davis’s co-star Nadine Mulkerrin revealed some good news ahead of the ceremony as she shared she is expecting her first baby with fiance and fellow Hollyoaks star Rory Douglas-Speed.
Mulkerrin, who is nominated for the best female dramatic performance award for her role as Cleo McQueen, announced the news on Instagram.
Alongside a photograph of the couple showing her cradling her baby bump, she wrote: “That’s us three ready for the @thebritishsoapawards.”
Meanwhile, former Coronation Street star Shayne Ward said all of the soaps nominated in the best storyline category are “worthy winners”.
Ward played Aidan Connor in Corrie from 2015 until his departure in a male suicide storyline last year.
Corrie is nominated for The Impact of Aidan’s Suicide storyline, and also in the best single episode category for Aidan’s Suicide and the Aftermath.
Ward told Press Association: “I’m a guest tonight so I’m quite relaxed, and normally I’d be really nervous… all of the soaps that are nominated in this category are all worthy winners.”
The actor, who sported a new look with a full head of hair and a beard, said a dream role for him would be to star in a series like Peaky Blinders.
Good luck to all my @itvcorrie fam tonight @SoapAwards and have a few drinks for me!!! 😘😘
— Kym Marsh (@msm4rsh) June 1, 2019
Also speaking on the red carpet, Trevor Michael Georges – who will star as the patriarch of Coronation Street’s first black family, Ed Bailey – likened working on the show to “arriving at Wonka’s chocolate factory”.
He said: “It’s just been joy, happiness and magic… you just find everyone so happy and helpful and warm. I’ve enjoyed every second.”
The actor, who said he will appear on screen from around June 10, said viewers would have to wait to find out “what happens when we move into number three next to Ken Barlow”.
He said of the Baileys being Barlow’s neighbour: “I call it an evolving relationship.”
Although the show has previously cast individual black characters, the Baileys are the first black family to be brought in together.
The cast of Corrie were big winners at the event last year, taking home the award for best British soap.
The ceremony is being hosted by Phillip Schofield and aired live on ITV1 from 8pm.