Katya Jones looked sensational as she arrived at the Inside Soap Awards 2023 at Salsa! Temple in London on Monday.
The Strictly Come Dancing professional, 34, wore a one-shoulder gold dress with an asymmetrical neckline.
Twinkle-toed star Katya’s garment had a sleeve on just one side while it was cinched in at the waist by a black belt.
The dress – sourced from Cancer Research UK’s charity shop donations as part of the charity’s pre-loved Rethink, Reuse, Research campaign – was pleated across both the top and skirt section, with the dress reaching right down to the ground.
Katya struck a number of poses for the awaiting photographers at the glitzy event, whipping her skirt out around her on the red carpet.
Golden girl: Katya Jones, 34, looked sensational in a gold dress as she arrived at the Inside Soap Awards 2023 at Salsa! in London on Monday
In style: The Strictly Come Dancing professional wore a one-shoulder gold dress with an asymmetrical neckline
The television personality, who is paired with actor Nigel Harman on this year’s Strictly, wore a pair of open-toed mirrored high-heeled shoes to add a few inches to her stature.
EastEnders dominated at the 2023 Inside Soap Awards as it was named Best Soap for the second year running.
The BBC drama scooped up a total of six gongs at the annual ceremony, beating its fellow soap operas Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, Casualty and Doctors.
The soap’s tragic Lola Pearce cancer storyline was also widely recognised at the ceremony, with star Danielle Harold taking home the Best Actress prize.
She beat a host of esteemed names to the award, including the likes of Coronation Street’s Charlotte Jordan and Maureen Lipman, Hollyoaks’ Jennifer Metcalfe and Emmerdale’s Emma Atkins.
Danielle also beat her co-stars Diane Parish, who plays Denise Fox, and Shona McGarty, who portrays Whitney Dean, to take home the esteemed award.
Danielle’s character Lola Pearce died in emotional scenes after sadly losing her battle with terminal brain cancer earlier this year.
The heartbreaking storyline was dubbed the ‘saddest ever’ exit by fans, and saw Danielle win Best Leading Performer the British Soap Awards, before her Inside Soap Awards success.
Glamour puss: Twinkle-toed star Katya’s garment had a sleeve on just one side while it was cinched in at the waist by a black belt
Danielle’s character Lola Pearce died in emotional scenes after sadly losing her battle with terminal brain cancer earlier this year.
The heartbreaking storyline was dubbed the ‘saddest ever’ exit by fans, and saw Danielle win Best Leading Performer the British Soap Awards, before her Inside Soap Awards success.
The storyline was further lauded at Monday’s ceremony as it also scooped up the Best Storyline gong in another huge victory for Danielle’s heart-wrenching exit.
In another huge success, Jamie Borthwick, who portrays Lola’s widower Jay Brown, took home the sought-after Best Actor prize.
He was up against the likes of Coronation Street’s David Neilson and Ryan Prescott, as well as Emmerdale’s Dominic Brunt, Jeff Hordley and Kevin Mathurin.
Also nominated in the category were Hollyoaks’ Gregory Finnegan and Jamie Lomas, as well as Jamie’s EastEnders’ co-stars Perry Fenwick and James Farrar.
Isabella Brown, who plays Lola’s daughter Lexi Pearce, won Best Young Performer, marking out another win for EastEnders – which took home a total of six gongs out of the 15 different categories.
Max Bowden, who is Lexi’s father Ben Mitchell and missed Lola’s final moments in emotional scenes, was also awarded Soap Superstar Of The Year for ‘a performance that [went] above and beyond the call of duty’.
Success: EastEnders dominated at the 2023 Inside Soap Awards on Monday as it was named Best Soap for the second year running (pictured: Danielle Harold as Lola Pearce)
Lauded: The soap’s tragic Lola Pearce cancer storyline was also recognised, with star Danielle Harold taking home Best Actress and Jamie Borthwick (Jay Brown) winning Best Actor
Dominating: Isabella Brown, who plays Lola’s daughter Lexi Pearce, also won Best Young Performer – with EastEnders taking home a total of six gongs out of the 15 different categories
Inside Soap editor, Gary Gillatt, said: ‘The beautifully played story of young mum Lola’s cancer diagnosis, and her final few life-affirming months, captivated Inside Soap readers this year, and won out against powerful work from all the other shows. And the Best Soap win is well-deserved. It’s been a golden year for EastEnders – a true renaissance.’
Shona McGarty was also up for Best Actress for her portrayal of Whitney Dean in EastEnders, and it will likely mark her last appearance at the event after it was announced last month she was leaving the BBC soap after 15 years.
Speaking to Inside Soap magazine, the actress said: ‘It wasn’t an easy decision because I’ve made so many friends.
‘So, I’m going to be sad to say goodbye to my friends and family, but it was right decision for me as I want to do other things.
‘After 15 years, I’ve had a pretty good run.’
Elsewhere, Coronation Street’s Maureen Lipman was awarded Best Comic Performance for the third year for her role as the acid-tongued, Evelyn Plummer.
The ITV soap opera also took home the Best Showstopper gong – awarded to a showcase stunt or episode – for its powerful acid attack story involving Ryan Prescott (Ryan Connor) and Charlotte Jordan (Daisy Midgeley).
Fan favourite: Elsewhere, Coronation Street’s Maureen Lipman was awarded Best Comic Performance for the third year for her role as the acid-tongued, Evelyn Plummer
Todd Boyce was named Best Villain for his portrayal of Stephen Reid, whose serial killer antics have dominated the action on the soap opera across 2023.
Other formidable faces nominated in the category included Coronation Street’s Andrew Still, who plays stalker Justin Rutherford, EastEnders’ Aaron Thiara (Ravi Gulati) and Emmerdale’s William Ash (Caleb Miligan).
And Channique Sterling-Brown, who plays go-getting solicitor Dee-Dee Bailey, secured further success for the show as she took home the Best Newcomer award.
She beat EastEnders’ Bobby Brazier (Freddie Slater) – who made his debut on Strictly Come Dancing last week – and Emmerdale’s Flo Wilson and Lewis Cope to the gong.
Also nominated were Coronation Street’s Jodie Prenger and Hollyoaks stars Jemma Donovan and Jon-Paul Bell.
Emmerdale soared to success in the Best Partnership category, which was won by Mark Charnock and Dominic Brunt for their beloved double-act as Marlon and Paddy.
It comes after Marlon helped to save Paddy’s life as his friend went through his darkest hour in very powerful scenes that aired earlier this year.
Tragic: The ITV soap also took home the Best Showstopper gong – awarded to a showcase stunt or episode – for its powerful acid attack story involving Ryan Prescott (Ryan Connor)
The exuberant Dingle clan – always at the centre of the Emmerdale action – were named Best Family, beating EastEnders’ The Mitchells and The Trueman-Fox-Brannings, and Coronation Street’s The Platts and The Winter-Browns, among others.
Inside Soap readers named Chris Walker their Best Daytime Star for his moving portrayal of widowed police officer Rob Hollins in Doctors, while Casualty’s Nigel Harman came fresh from a Strictly Come Dancing training session to collect the Best Drama Star trophy for his role as Dr Max Cristie.
The prestigious Outstanding Achievement award went to Nikki Sanderson to mark more than a decade playing Hollyoaks’ Maxine Minniver, and her work on this year’s Long Walk Home storyline.
Previous Outstanding Achievement winners include EastEnders’ late star June Brown (Dot Cotton) – who died in April last year – and Coronation Street’s Helen Worth (Gail Platt).
Inside Soap editor, Gary Gillatt, commented: ‘The big storylines of 2023 often proved a harrowing watch.
Close pals: Emmerdale also found success in the Best Partnership category, which was won by Dominic Brunt and Mark Charnock for their beloved double-act as Paddy and Marlon
Busy! Casualty’s Nigel Harman came fresh from a Strictly Come Dancing training session to collect the Best Drama Star trophy for his role as Dr Max Cristie
‘Cancer, stalking, misogyny and depression were the major themes tackled this year, and our trophies are awarded by an audience who’ve clearly responded to these challenging episodes.
‘Though they’re also relieved to have Marlon and Paddy’s banter and Evelyn’s one-liners to lift the mood!’
More than 90,000 soap fans vote each year in The Inside Soap Awards, and they remain – after three decades – the only accolades of their kind to be awarded based solely on the votes of viewers.
The first issue of Inside Soap was published in October 1992 and is now a weekly title published by Hearst UK.
This post first appeared on Daily mail
