[Ross.]

​It's the big moment that all soap fans have been waiting for - longlist voting for the British Soap Awards 2016 has officially opened.

A host of stars from Coronation Street, Doctors, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks have made the longlist for the Best Actor and Best Actress prizes - and we couldn't be more excited to bring you the full collection of nominees.

Last year, these categories were judged with a 50/50 split between public votes and an expert panel of judges - but the good news is that they've been put solely back into the hands of the viewers for the 2016 event.

As always, soap fans will also have the chance to vote for the coveted Best British Soap prize.

The full longlist follows below:

Best Actor

Jack P Shepherd (David Platt, Coronation Street)

Ben Price (Nick Tilsley, Coronation Street)

Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs, Coronation Street)

Matthew Chambers (Dr Daniel Granger, Doctors)

Owen Brenman (Dr Heston Carter, Doctors)

Ian Midlane (Dr Al Haskey, Doctors)

James Bye (Martin Fowler, EastEnders)

Danny Dyer (Mick Carter, EastEnders)

Davood Ghadami (Kush Kazemi, EastEnders)

Danny Miller (Aaron Livesy, Emmerdale)

John Middleton (Ashley Thomas, Emmerdale)

Dominic Brunt (Paddy Kirk, Emmerdale)

Kieron Richardson (Ste Hay, Hollyoaks)

Charlie Clapham (Freddie Roscoe, Hollyoaks)

Ashley Taylor Dawson (Darren Osborne, Hollyoaks)


Best Actress

Alison King (Carla Connor, Coronation Street)

Paula Lane (Kylie Platt, Coronation Street )

Kate Ford (Tracy Barlow, Coronation Street)

Lorna Laidlaw (Mrs Tembe, Doctors)

Jan Pearson (Karen Hollins, Doctors)

Laura Rollins (Ayesha Lee, Doctors)

Diane Parish (Denise Fox, EastEnders)

Rakhee Thakrar (Shabnam Masood, EastEnders)

Lacey Turner (Stacey Branning, EastEnders)

Lucy Pargeter (Chas Dingle, Emmerdale)

Zoe Henry (Rhona Goskirk, Emmerdale)

Charlotte Bellamy (Laurel Thomas, Emmerdale)

Jennifer Metcalfe (Mercedes McQueen, Hollyoaks)

Nadine Mulkerrin (Cleo McQueen, Hollyoaks)

Nikki Sanderson (Maxine Blake, Hollyoaks)


Best British Soap

Coronation Street

Doctors

EastEnders

Emmerdale

Hollyoaks

The competition for votes will no doubt be bigger than ever this year, as EastEnders secured the Best British Soap prize with a narrow winning margin of just 0.15% in 2015. They're not lying when they say that every vote counts!

Votes can be cast now via the official British Soap Awards website. Details of the other categories, which are judged by the panel, will be revealed at a later date. The ceremony will take place at London's Hackney Empire theatre in May.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/east...-stars-are-up/

Vote here: http://www.britishsoapawards.tv/

slay me at the James, Lacey and Rakhee noms

[Daniel-X]

Why has Cleo McQueen been nominated for best actress? Screaming she's dreadful.

[Daniel-X]

Mess @ Freddie Roscoe too, by far the worst actor in soap at the moment.

[LukeB]

Denise Fox

[Daniel-X]

Voted for Aaron, Shabnam and EastEnders

[Ross.]

Originally Posted by LukeB

Denise Fox

Diane is a token nomination every year, it's a shame she doesn't get to show her talent much </3

[Marsh.]

Jack P Shepherd (David Platt, Coronation Street)

Ben Price (Nick Tilsley, Coronation Street)

Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs, Coronation Street)

James Bye (Martin Fowler, EastEnders)

Davood Ghadami (Kush Kazemi, EastEnders)

Kieron Richardson (Ste Hay, Hollyoaks)

Charlie Clapham (Freddie Roscoe, Hollyoaks)

Kate Ford (Tracy Barlow, Coronation Street)

Calling any of these actors is stretching it but "Best"?

[Ross.]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

Calling any of these actors is stretching it but "Best"?

excuse me leave James out of this

[LukeB]

I would replace Martin for Phil and Denise for Linda

[Lostie!]

Chrissie Watts for Best Character Not in a Soap Anymore please.

[LukeB]

Originally Posted by Lostie!

Chrissie Watts for Best Character Not in a Soap Anymore please.

Clare Devine gets that tbh

[Mitchell]

The Actor category is weak as ****, I voted Clapham for the meltdown if he got shortlisted

[LukeB]

Bye at Lindsay not making it.

[Amy Jade]

Denise deserves her nomination, Diane is one of Eastenders strongest actresses when given the correct material.

Laurie Brett (Jane Beale) is another tragically underrated actress on the show. Stacey is overrated.

[_Tom_]

Originally Posted by LukeB

Bye at Lindsay not making it.

She's a cert for 'villain of the year' though?

[LukeB]

Originally Posted by _Tom_

She's a cert for 'villain of the year' though?

hopefully and wins that.

[Marsh.]

The fact that Steve McFadden isn't even in the long list shows how meaningless this shambles is.

He can act circles around the lot of them.

[Ashley.]

Bit bias but James/Lacey/EastEnders

[Ashley.]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

The fact that Steve McFadden isn't even in the long list shows how meaningless this shambles is.

He can act circles around the lot of them.

He opted out of award shows I think, same as Linda Henry (Shirley)

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Ashley.

He opted out of award shows I think, same as Linda Henry (Shirley)

I doubt it. He's won a few in the past.

[Ross.]

I don't think Linda Henry opted out she just doesn't attend these award shows

I think she was nominated for a comedy award like two years ago

[Cal.]

Voted for Shabs, Mick and EastEnders

WHERE WAS VAL'S NOM?

[Firewire]

Steve deserves to be nominated

Surprised Nitin isn't nominated, he always gets nominated for no reason

[Ross.]

Originally Posted by Who Is She?

Voted for Shabs, Mick and EastEnders

WHERE WAS VAL'S NOM?

Stacey or Shabs, James and EastEnders is the only correct combination, please change your best actor vote

[Cal.]

I hate Martin