Emmerdale started out slowly when it came to awards. It moved to an evening slot in the late 1980s capturing the hearts of lots more viewers and by the 90s it was going for it in terms of storylines, so awards inevitably followed!
Strong start
By the late 1990s, the British Soap Awards were a big thing, and Emmerdale began winning! In 1999 Claire King won Best Exit for Kim Tate leaving the village in style – in a helicopter with baby son James, clutching a wad of stolen money that her stepson Chris had dug up from his dad’s grave. That definitely deserved an award!
That same year Kelvin Fletcher, AKA Andy Sugden won Best Dramatic Performance.
In 2000, Paul Loughran who played Butch Dingle, scooped Best Exit. 2001 saw Kelvin win again, this time taking home Most Spectacular Scene for Andy burning down the barn. Meanwhile Clive Hornby, who played his on-screen dad, Jack Sugden, won Hero of the Year
In 2001, Emmerdale won its first BAFTA for Best Soap and Continuing Drama. Quite the achievement!
Winning storylines
Throughout the noughties and 2010s, Emmerdale won awards for its innovative storylines including Charity Dingle’s wedding to Tom King (grandfather of abusive Tom who’s currently tormenting Belle Dingle). There was the house collapse which killed Bob Hope’s daughter Dawn, Daniel Thomas’s cot death and the brilliantly tense Woolpack siege and flood.
AND Batley the dog’s tragic death won Best Exit in 2002!
The 40th anniversary live episode in 2013 scooped Best Single Episode at the British Soap Awards and Best Episode in the All About Soap awards.
Danny Miller, who plays Aaron Dingle, won Best Actor at the British Soap Awards in 2011, 2012 and 2016. Not too shabby!
Winning in 2017!
From 2015, Emmerdale started winning BIG. It consistently won awards for storylines and acting.
And 2017 was a massive year for Emmerdale. It won another BAFTA, plus it won Best Soap at the British Soap Awards, and the Inside Soap Awards. It scooped Best Serial Drama at the National Television Awards, and won the RTS award for Best Soap and Continuing Drama and Best Soap at the TV Quick and TV Choice Awards.
What a year!
Here’s a list of all the top awards Emmerdale has won over the years
Emmerdale’s awards
BAFTAs
Best Soap and Continuing Drama
2001
2017
2020
British Soap awards
1999
Best Dramatic Performance: Kelvin Fletcher (Andy Sugden)
Best Exit: Claire King (Kim Tate)
2000
Best Exit: Paul Loughran (Butch Dingle)
2001
Hero of the Year: Clive Hornby (Jack Sugden)
Spectacular Scene: Andy burning down the barn
2002
Best Exit: Batley the dog
British Soap Awards 2003
Best Single Episode: Marlon and Tricia’s failed wedding day
Best Dramatic Performance: Mark Charnock (Marlon Dingle)
British Soap Awards 2004
Best Exit: Sheree Murphy (Tricia Dingle)
Spectacular Scene: The storm
2005
Best Single Episode: Charity and Tom’s wedding
Best Comedy Performance: Charlie Hardwick (Val Pollard)
And finally, Best Exit: Leah Bracknell (Zoe Tate)
2006
Soap Bitch: Nicola Wheeler (Nicola Blackstock)
Spectacular Scene: Belle and Daz trapped in a mine
Special Achievement: Tony Prescott
Best Dramatic Performance From a Young Actor or Actress: Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle)
2007
Spectacular Scene of the Year: The House Collapse
2008
Best Single Episode: Daniel’s Death
Special Achievement Award: Tim Fee
2009
Spectacular Scene of the Year: Victoria falls through the ice
2010
Special Achievement Award: Bill Lyons
Best Actor: Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle)
2011
Special Achievement Award: Gavin Blyth
Best Actor: Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle)
2012
Best Storyline: Jackson’s choice
Spectacular Scene of the Year: John and Moira’s car accident
2013
Best Single Episode: Emmerdale Live
Best Young Performance: Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle)
2014
Spectacular Scene of the Year: The Woolpack siege and flood
2015
Best Young Performance: Amelia Flanagan (April Windsor)
Scene of the Year: Donna’s goodbye
Best British Soap: Emmerdale
Best Actor: Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle)
British Soap Awards 2016
Best Male Dramatic Performance: Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle)
Scene of the Year: Val’s Death
Tony Warren Award: James Bain (Casting Director at Coronation Street and Emmerdale)
2017
Best British Soap: Emmerdale
Best Actor: John Middleton (Ashley Thomas)
And, Best Actress: Charlotte Bellamy (Laurel Thomas)
Best Male Dramatic Performance: John Middleton
Best Single Episode: Ashley’s Point of View
And, Best Storyline: Ashley’s Dementia
2018
Best Young Actor: Isobel Steele (Liv Flaherty)
Greatest Soap Moment: Hotten Bypass Crash (2016)
2019
The Tony Warren Award: Val Lawson
Best Actress: Lucy Pargeter (Chas Dingle)
British Soap Awards 2022
Best British Soap
Best Dramatic Performance – Mark Charnock (Marlon Dingle)
Also, Best Family – The Dingles
Best Leading Performer – Paige Sandhu
2023
Lifetime Achievement Award – Mark Charnock (Marlon Dingle)
Broadcast Awards
Best soap
2011
2016
2017
Inside Soap Awards
Best Soap
2002
2003
2013
2015
2016
2017
NTAs
Best serial drama
2017
2019
2020
2021
RTS Awards
Best Soap and Continuing Drama
2016
2017
TRIC Awards
Soap of the Year
2018
2019
2022
2023
TRIC Special Award in 2007
TV Quick and TV Choice awards
Best Soap
2016
2017
2018
2021
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.30pm and 2.05pm.