GATHERING together to reward the best talent in TV should be a cause for celebration, and the stars turn out in their droves for glitzy award ceremonies.
But awards dos often descends into chaos – with brawls, lovers’ tiffs and ‘fix’ claims adding more drama than your average soap storyline.
This weekend the British Soap Awards returns after a two year hiatus due to the pandemic, with Phillip Schofield presenting.
As the stars gather at the Hackney Empire in the hope of taking home a gong, we can look forward to one of the most raucous nights in the showbiz calendar.
Here we look at the most memorable moments of TV award ceremonies past – from Jamie Lomas’ fight with Asan N’Jie to controversy over Jacqueline Jossa’s ‘self-harm’ comments.
Backstage brawl
READ MORE FEATURES
Soap stars Asan N’Jie and Jamie Lomas got into a scuffle backstage at the TV Choice Awards in 2019.
Hollyoaks’ hardman Jamie, 47, was taunted by Emmerdale’s Asan, 28, who aimed a “sarcastic jibe at him”.
After Jamie reacted in fury and went for his soap rival, fellow cast members had to pull them apart.
Asan was allegedly heard threatening to knife Jamie, and a clip of the bust up shows him scream: “Do you think you are a f*****g big man? I’m going to f*****g kill you.”
The Emmerdale star was thrown out by security and later sacked from his role as Ellis in the Yorkshire soap.
Boozy bender
Jessie Wallace was scuppered by pre-drinks at the 2018 British Soap Awards – and never even made it onto the red carpet.
The EastEnders star – who plays Kat Slater – allegedly started boozing hours before the ceremony and posted a drunken picture in a taxi, at 3.47pm, with the caption: “Off to the awards we go.”
But she never made it — as she was packed off home by 7pm after refusing to stop drinking at the pre-awards reception.
Jessie was said to be “furious” at being sent away.
‘Self-harm’ row
Jacqueline Jossa found herself at the centre of a row over a self-harm storyline after eagle-eyed fans took to lip-reading her conversation with Lacey Turner at the 2018 British Soap Awards.
When Hollyoaks landed the Best Storyline gong, viewers thought she said: “I think they all self-harm on that show.”
The horrified EastEnders star was forced to clear things up on Instagram, posting: “Just to clear things up, Lacey asked me what the storyline was, as we couldn’t hear. I answered with, ‘I’m not actually sure, I think they all self-harmed on the show’.”
She added: “I haven’t watched the show recently so don’t actually know, but always love it and wasn’t discrediting.
“I know that self-harm isn’t a joke, obviously, and love any soap that tackles hard stories. It’s been taken out of context!”
Lovers’ tiff
The following year, Jacqueline reportedly got into a huge ding-dong with hubby Dan Osborne at the National Television Awards (NTAs) after accusing him of flirting.
A source told the Mirror the EastEnders actress burst into tears after finding Dan flirting with a group of women at the afterparty, telling him: “I want to go NOW.”
Dan was reportedly keen to stay, leading to a heated exchange between the couple, who have two girls – Ella, seven, and Mia, three.
The source said: “It was awkward because everyone was having fun and they weren’t hiding their fight from those around them.”
Danny’s pop at Schofe
Presenter Phillip Schofield clashed with Danny Dyer two years running and admitted the EastEnders hardman was “scaring the life out of him”.
In 2018, in what may have been a planned stunt, Danny got irritated at the host repeatedly asking if he was “alright”.
He eventually stood and squared up to Schofe, barking: “What, you want to make one with me?”
Phil joked: “Leave it you, back off. Sit down I’m in charge here mate.”
The following year Danny sat stoney-faced as Phillip made a gag about him being a fan of “trim down South” – in reference to Corrie’s Trim Up North barber shop.
The actor failed to respond and turned to the person sitting next to him, ignoring Phil, who laughed awkwardly.
A-lister’s moan
Before becoming an Oscar winning actor, Eddie Redmayne worked as a waiter at the British Soap Awards and says he was humiliated by the Hollyoaks cast – whom he dubbed “b*****ds”.
He told Glamour magazine: “They feed all these soap stars with alcohol and then put them in the studio for the awards, so they’re more rowdy and it makes for better television.
“So, as a waiter, I had to stand there with a tray waiting for them to put their empties on before going in.
“I remember this whole group of actors from Hollyoaks piling on with loads of champagne glasses and it being full, and one of them saying, ‘Guys, guys, watch this! I’m going to put one more on, I’m going to put one more on…’
“And I was thinking, ‘No, please don’t put another…’ and them smashing everywhere. All these Hollyoaks actors were in hysterics and I was like, ‘You b*****ds!'”
Fix rows
ITV were embroiled in fix claims when Corrie won the Best Soap gong at the NTAs in 2010.
The triumph came after a three minute video celebrating the show’s 50th birthday aired at the event – while no such tribute was paid to rival EastEnders, which had turned 25.
BBC insiders called the reel a “pretty blatant advert right in the middle of voting”, adding: “It’s as if they fixed it for Corrie.”
But the independent body who oversees voting cleared the organisers, saying Corrie had been winning throughout the voting and the video has no “material impact”.
Three years later ITV was accused of rigging the vote again by airing an hour-long Corrie before the show and axing Emmerdale.
A BBC source moaned: “It seems ITV will stop at nothing to win NTAs. The stars tweet reminding people to vote – then they put a big Corrie episode on moments before the show starts. It is such an obvious tactic and not the first time they have played unfairly when it comes to the NTAs.”
An ITV source responded: “These claims of a fix are just sour grapes. The best soap won and our ratings are better than EastEnders, too.” Ooh!
Platt’s not fair
Jack P. Shepherd proved a sore loser when EastEnders picked up the award for Best Serial Drama at the 2011 NTAS.
The David Platt actor looked grim-faced and even shamelessly shook his head while his more magnanimous co-stars smiled and clapped.
And in 2017, the star was verbally abused by a fan who called him a “t***er”, after he agreed to a photo backstage but then asked her to “hurry up”.
Not so Bright
EastEnders’ Kellie Bright looked done in when she left the Inside Soap Awards in 2017.
The actress – who plays landlady Linda Carter – ended up grabbing a few zzzs in the taxi home.
She’d already got in a spot of bother with screen hubby Danny Dyer after losing their Best Soap Partnership gong at the afterparty.
Jen’s tumble
Hollyoaks’ Jennifer Metcalfe seemed to have a great time at the 2017 Inside Soap Awards.
Read More on The Celeb Report
The Mercedes McQueen star appeared unsteady on her feet as she stumbled out of the glitzy bash and had to be helped to the car as she almost took a tumble.
The culprit may have been the towering heels she was tottering on – we’ve all been there.
