Coronation Street favourites left the famous cobbles behind as they headed to London for The British Soap Awards. After a two-year absence due to the Coronavirus pandemic, The British Soap Awards is back for 2022 on ITV.
The annual event sees the UK’s biggest soaps compete against each other to bag the night’s variety of awards. Live on ITV and the ITV Hub from 8pm, host Phillip Schofield returns to roll out the red carpet for actors and actresses representing Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks and Doctors.
Flying the flag for Weatherfield was the soap's impressive crop of young talent including Millie Gibson, Mollie Gallagher and Maximus Evans who had the nation gripped with the harrowing hate crime story about the death of Seb Franklin who was set upon by a gang of thugs led by Corey Brent, played by Maximus.
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The heartbreaking story, inspired by the shocking murder of goth Sophie Lancaster, is up for Best Storyline at the awards after being heaped with praise by viewers. The attack is also in line to win Best Single Episode for the flashback scenes in which Seb's girlfriend Nina Lucas, played by Mollie, was finally able to remember what had happened to her and Seb at the hands of the vile gang.
Viewers never saw who had attacked Seb, who later died in hospital, and his teen sweetheart. But goth Nina's memory was triggered by a song that was playing on that fateful day. "These flackback episodes are absolute genius," praised one fan on Twitter. "Omg the flashbacks are so intense," said another.
Goth Sophie Lancaster died after a similar hate attack back in 2007 and the ITV soap worked with the The Sophie Lancaster Foundation on the story in memory of Sophie who was murdered for the way she looked. She and her boyfriend Robert Maltby were set upon because they were members of the goth subculture.
By working with Corrie the Foundation, launched by Sophie's late mother Sylvia to challenge prejudice and intolerance towards people from alternative subcultures, aimed to encourage more people to come forward to report hate crime. Last month Coronation Street actress Sally Dynevor dedicated the ITV show's TV BAFTA win for soap and continuing drama to Sophie and her mother Sylvia who passed away in April at Royal Blackburn Hospital.
Millie, whose character Kelly was framed by Corey for Seb's death, has been nominated for Best Young Performer. After being released from prison last November the teen character ended up homeless and turning to drugs.
Then as she was taken under the wing of Gary Windass and his wife Maria her abusive mum Laura, who neglected Kelly while she was growing up, returned to the cobbles to tell her daughter that she was dying of stomach cancer and only had months left to live. Kelly then went through more trauma when the body of her loan shark father Rick, who disappeared in 2019, was discovered in the site of the new Weatherfield County traning ground
Unaware that her guardian Gary is her father's killer, Kelly was distraught when her mum confessed to his murder, taking the rap for Gary so that her daughter would be cared for by people who care for her. While struggling to forgive her mum, Kelly sadly didn't make it to see her in time before Laura died in hospital, taking Gary's dark secret with her to the grave.
Mikey North, who plays killer Gary, previously tipped Millie for a bright future after realising her potential from her screen test. The Corrie favourite, who has played Gary since 2004, said: "This girl is incredible. Whatever she chooses to do in her career will be amazing. I rate her better than any young actress that I've ever worked with on any job. She's incredible."
Millie, who trained at Oldham Theatre Workshop, channelled Hollywood glamour on the red carpet in a silky white gown with a pop of colour from her red lipstick. Co-star Mollie, whose cafe worker character Nina later found love again with Asha Alahan, chose an all-black outfit with chunky platform heels.
Tanisha Gorey, who plays Asha, looked elegant in a black split-to-the thigh gown. And Ellie Leach, who plays Amy Barlow, and Harriet Bibby, who plays her best friend Summer Spellman, both chose star-patterned dresses for the sparkling occasion.
Brother and sister James Jack Ryan and Rebecca Ryan, whose characters Jacob Hay and Lydia Chambers have ruffled feathers on Corrie, beamed as they posed side by side. And Jane Hazelgrove, up for best comedy performer for her gobby character Bernie Winter, looked a world away from Roy's Rolls in an exquisite teal blue belted dress.
Charlotte Jordan, whose character Daisy Midgeley arrived in 2020 as a barmaid at the world's most famous boozer the Rovers Return, looked sensational in a navy blue ruffled gown. And Julia Goulding, who plays Shona Ramsey, was the epitome of red carpet chic in a black off-the-shoulder dress.
