Coronation Street may have been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons recently, but it’s done the soap’s chances absolutely no harm at the Inside Soap Awards.

The ITV series has come out on top in the nominations with a total of 18 nods, more than any other programme, despite controversy over the weekend when actor Marc Anwar, who played Sharif Nazir, was sacked for a series of racist tweets.

However, Corrie are out in front as far as the awards go, with its live episode and the shocking Callum murder plot in contention for some of the trophies up for grabs.

Ken Barlow Coronation Street
Ken Barlow is one of Corrie’s most popular characters (ITV)

Fellow ITV soap Emmerdale is not far behind on 17 nominations, while EastEnders has some catching up to do with 14.

As ever, the hottest categories will be best soap, best actor and best actress.

Corrie, Emmerdale, EastEnders and Hollyoaks are battling it out for the title of best soap, with Emmerdale hoping to defend last year’s win.

Charity Emmerdale
Emmerdale was last year’s best soap (ITV)

EastEnders lads Danny Dyer (Mick Carter) and Steve McFadden (Phil Mitchell) are up against Corrie’s Jack P Shepherd (David Platt) and Emmerdale’s Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle) for best actor, while the best actress shortlist includes Paula Lane (Kylie Platt) and Tina O’Brien (Sarah Platt) from the cobbles, Albert Square’s Lacey Turner (Stacey Fowler) and Emmerdale’s Lucy Pargeter (Chas Dingle).

The sexiest male and female categories are also set to attract attention, with Coronation Street’s Shayne Ward and Kym Marsh, EastEnders’ Danny Dyer and Jacqueline Jossa, Emmerdale’s Michael Parr and Gemma Atkinson, and Hollyoaks’ Charlie Clapham and Jennifer Metcalfe all hoping to win.

Charlie Hardwick
Charlie Hardwick left Emmerdale (Ian West/PA)

Best exit should also be a category to watch this year – Barbara Windsor’s Peggy Mitchell finally bowed out of EastEnders, Emmerdale waved goodbye to Charlie Hardwick who played Val Pollard, Hollyoaks villain Trevor Royle, played by Greg Wood, was bumped off, and of course Sean Ward’s Callum Logan was the victim of the Coronation Street murder storyline.

This year’s Inside Soap Awards ceremony takes place at London’s Hippodrome Casino on October 3 and voting will be open until midday on the day of the event.

Take a look at the full Inside Soap Awards 2016 nominations.

Best Actor:

David Platt Coronation Street
Jack P Shepherd (ITV)

Jack P Shepherd (David Platt, Coronation Street)

Danny Dyer (Mick Carter, EastEnders)

Steve McFadden (Phil Mitchell, EastEnders)

Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle, Emmerdale)

Best Actress:

Lacey Turner
Lacey Turner (BBC)

Paula Lane (Kylie Platt, Coronation Street)

Tina O’Brien (Sarah Platt, Coronation Street)

Lacey Turner (Stacey Fowler, EastEnders)

Lucy Pargeter (Chas Dingle, Emmerdale)

Best Bad Girl:

Kate Ford
Kate Ford (ITV)

Kate Ford (Tracy Barlow, Coronation Street)

Annette Badland (Aunt Babe Smith, EastEnders)

Emma Atkins (Charity Dingle, Emmerdale)

Persephone Swales-Dawson (Nico Bradley, Hollyoaks)

Best Bad Boy:

Jeff Hordley
Jeff Hordley (ITV)

Connor McIntyre (Pat Phelan, Coronation Street)

Eliot Carrington (Bobby Beale, EastEnders)

Jeff Hordley (Cain Dingle, Emmerdale)

Greg Wood (Trevor Royle, Hollyoaks)

Funniest Female:

Nicole Barber-Lane
Nicole Barber-Lane (Lime Pictures)

Patti Clare (Mary Taylor, Coronation Street)

Tameka Empson (Kim Fox-Hubbard, EastEnders)

Laura Norton (Kerry Wyatt, Emmerdale)

Nicole Barber-Lane (Myra McQueen, Hollyoaks)

Funniest Male:

Danny Dyer
Danny Dyer (BBC)

Joe Duttine (Tim Metcalfe, Coronation Street)

Simon Gregson (Steve McDonald, Coronation Street)

Danny Dyer (Mick Carter, EastEnders)

Matthew Wolfenden (David Metcalfe, Emmerdale)

Best Newcomer:

Liam Bairstow
Liam Bairstow (ITV)

Liam Bairstow (Alex Warner, Coronation Street)

Shayne Ward (Aidan Connor, Coronation Street)

Isobel Steele (Liv Flaherty, Emmerdale)

Richard Linnell (Alfie Nightingale, Hollyoaks)

Best Young Actor:

Ruby O'Donnell
Ruby O’Donnell (Lime Pictures)

Elle Mulvaney (Amy Barlow, Coronation Street)

Amelia Flanagan (April Windsor, Emmerdale)

Isobel Steele (Liv Flaherty, Emmerdale)

Ruby O’Donnell (Peri Lomax, Hollyoaks)

Sexiest Male:

Charlie Clapham
Charlie Clapham (Lime Pictures)

Shayne Ward (Aidan Connor, Coronation Street)

Danny Dyer (Mick Carter, EastEnders)

Michael Parr (Ross Barton, Emmerdale)

Charlie Clapham (Freddie Roscoe, Hollyoaks)

Sexiest Female:

Jacqueline Jossa
Jacqueline Jossa (BBC)

Kym Marsh (Michelle McDonald, Coronation Street)

Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren Branning, EastEnders)

Gemma Atkinson (Carly Hope, Emmerdale)

Jennifer Metcalfe (Mercedes McQueen, Hollyoaks)

Best Partnership:

Sally Dynevor & Joe Duttine (Sally & Tim Metcalfe, Coronation Street)

James Bye & Lacey Turner (Martin & Stacey Fowler, EastEnders)

Ryan Hawley & Danny Miller (Robert Sugden & Aaron Dingle, Emmerdale)

Nicola Wheeler & Nick Miles (Nicola & Jimmy King, Emmerdale)

Best Show-Stopper:

Coronation Street's live episode
Coronation Street’s live episode (ITV)

The live episode (Coronation Street)

Stacey being sectioned (EastEnders)

Wedding day helicopter crash (Emmerdale)

Roscoes in the river (Hollyoaks)

Best Shock Twist:

Kylie kills Callum! (Coronation Street)

Bobby attacks Jane & confesses all! (EastEnders)

Val dies in the hall of mirrors! (Emmerdale)

Trevor is murdered by Nico! (Hollyoaks)

Best Exit:

Barbara Windsor
Barbara Windsor (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Sean Ward (Callum Logan, Coronation Street)

Barbara Windsor (Peggy Mitchell, EastEnders)

Charlie Hardwick (Val Pollard, Emmerdale)

Greg Wood (Trevor Royle, Hollyoaks)

Best Drama Star:

Amanda Mealing
Amanda Mealing (BBC)

Amanda Mealing (Connie Beauchamp, Casualty)

Derek Thompson (Charlie Fairhead, Casualty)

David Ames (Dominic Copeland, Holby City)

Rob Ostlere (Arthur Digby, Holby City)

Best Drama Storyline:

Derek Thompson
Derek Thompson (BBC)

Charlie’s near-death experience (Casualty)

Ethan & Cal meet their mum (Casualty)

Arthur’s death (Holby City)

Fletch saves the day! (Holby City)

Best Daytime Star:

Lorna Laidlaw (Mrs Tembe, Doctors)

Lynne McGranger (Irene Roberts, Home and Away)

Bonnie Sveen (Ricky Sharpe, Home and Away)

Alan Fletcher (Karl Kennedy, Neighbours)

Best Daytime Soap:

Doctors

Home and Away

Neighbours

Best Soap:

Coronation Street

EastEnders

Emmerdale

Hollyoaks