National Television Awards 2023: How many NTAs have EastEnders won? A look back as they secure another gong

After an explosive year, no eyebrows were raised when EastEnders won the award for Serial Drama - but how have they fared in recent years?

One of the most anticipated award ceremonies in the UK was held last night (Tuesday, September 4), as the National Television Awards landed in London, with the likes of Ant and Dec winning big.

At the NTAs, one of the most coveted gongs to be awarded was the Serial Drama category, which was won by EastEnders. The prize was won by rival Soap Emmerdale in 2022, but is now heading back to East London.

EastEnders won big at NTAs, winning three awards in total. Bobby Brazier, who plays Freddie Slater, picked up the award for Rising Star, whilst Danielle Harold, who played Lola Pierce-Brown, won the award for Serial Drama Performance.

Danielle was recently written out of the soap for good as her character was at the centre of a long and heartbreaking storyline which saw her tragically lose her life due to a brain tumour, paving the way for Patsy Kensit’s character, Emma Harding.

But, arguably the biggest award for the night was the award for Serial Drama. Surprisingly, it’s the first time since 2016 that EastEnders has won the award, with Emmerdale winning it most years since.

Coronation Street has also won the award since, but a lack of hard hitting storylines is arguably the reason the show has been often overlooked in recent years. It is the 11th time EastEnders has won the award.

It’s been quite the year for EastEnders, who ended 2022 on a massive bombshell as Danny Dyer’s character, Mick Carter, tragically lost his life in explosive scenes played out over Christmas.

Many believed they wouldn’t be able to top that, but they have brought out all the stops in 2023. There’s also still lots to come from the BBC One soap, in what will undoubtedly be an unforgettable year.

The cast even paid a nod to the ‘flash forward’ promo to this year’s big Christmas storyline, as the cast involved in the huge whodunit posing together on the red carpet wearing the same colours from the iconic photoshoot.

The group, which involves Letitia Dean, Diane Parish, Gillian Tayforth, Lacey Turner, Balvinder Sopal and Kellie Bright are known as ‘the six’ and are at the centre of a murder mystery when they’re all present for the discovery a dead body at the Vic.