EastEnders scoops eight soap awards

Shane Richie of EastEnders won four awards

EastEnders has won eight prizes at the Inside Soap awards, including four for newcomer Shane Richie.

Richie won sexiest male, best newcomer, funniest character and best soap family as part of the Moon family.

"I spent five years doing eight shows a week...and there is no way I'm going back to that," Richie said of his previous stage work.

"I'm not saying I didn't enjoy doing what I did, but there is no better job than playing Alfie Moon. I mean, I run the Queen Vic!"

Sexiest female

The long-running BBC show picked up best soap for the third consecutive year on the same night as the return of Dirty Den to the show.

Coronation Street's Suranne Jones won two awards

Den, played by Leslie Grantham, reappeared to the amazement of his daughter Sharon who thought he had been shot dead 14 years ago.

An outstanding achievement award was given to one of the show's longest-standing actresses, June Brown, who plays Dot Branning.

Richie's on-off screen partner Jessie Wallace, who plays Kat Slater, was named sexiest female for the second year running.

"It goes to show, you don't need to be a stick insect to be considered sexy, which I think is a really positive message to send out to young girls," she said.

Coronation Street landed five prizes including best story-line for its serial killer plot revolving around Richard Hillman.

Dirty Den makes Square return

The show's Suranne Jones (who plays Karen McDonald) was a double winner, picking up best dressed star and best couple alongside Simon Gregson (Steve McDonald)

The best actor title went to Steve McFadden who plays EastEnders hard man Phil Mitchell.

And the top actress award went to Leah Bracknell (Zoe Tate), one of two prizes for Emmerdale.