It seems the old adage that there is no such thing as bad publicity is just as true in the land of TV soaps as it is anywhere else in the show business world.

For while the past 12 months has seen Eastenders hit the headlines on a regular basis, no storyline has generated quite as much publicity or interest in the TV listings as Stacey Slater's love triangle with father and son Max and Bradley Branning, with thousands of viewers feeling that the 'buried alive' climax went far beyond the realms of what can decently be shown on what is, after all, a family show.

However, the producers' boldness now appears to have been justified, as not only has such sensational plots and the introduction of some dangerous and sexy new characters helped boost ratings, but now the BBC show has returned to dominate the industry awards.

In comparison to the three gongs picked up by ITV's long-standing rival Coronation Street, the Albert Square soap scooped nine of a possible 15 at this year's Inside Soap Awards, held in London just this week, including some of the most sought-after prizes.

As well as the big one – namely the 'Best Soap' accolade – Eastenders' star Lacey Turner, who plays scheming Stacey Slater, took home the 'Best Actress' award for the third year in a row, while Rob Kazinsky, better known as Sean Slater, not only landed the 'Sexiest Male' prize, but also showed that he is more than just a pretty face by claiming the 'Best Actor' award.

What's more, as further proof that recent attempts to inject some glamour into London's murky East End have paid off, Kara Tointon, who plats Dawn Swann, was named 'Sexiest Female', though the prze could have just as easily gone to Walford neighbour Roxy Mitchell, though actress Rita Simons had to contend herself with 'Best Newcomer' instead.

In comparison to these gongs, the mantelpiece over at the ITV offices looks far from impressive, with the prizes for 'Best Bitch' and 'Best Dressed Soap Star', which were won by Corrie actresses Alison King and Kym Marsh respectively, hardly the highlights of the star-studded ceremony.

At least Corrie picked up some of the more fought-over prizes, unlike Emmerdale, which failed to cap off a successful year of soaring audience figures with any silverware of note, with Eden Taylor-Draper losing out to Hollyoaks youngster Ellis Hollins in the race for the 'Best Young Actor' accolade.

However, given the increasing thirst for dramatic endings and new blood – as proven by the fact that the Eastenders love triangle was deemed to be the 'Best Storyline' – a case could be made for Dales actor Chris Chittell's award being the most impressive of all.

By collecting the 'Outstanding Achievement Award' for his role as Eric Pollard in the Yorkshire soap, the veteran actor joins a select few of his peers who manage to far outlive their 15 minutes of fame and connect with the audience in a manner no magazine-sponsored awards ceremony can ever do justice to.

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