British Soap Awards 2018: EastEnders and Doctors score the show’s first ever tie as they share the prize for Scene of the Year

DOCTORS and EastEnders made British Soap Awards history tonight as they tied in the Scene of the Year category.

Both shows triumphed with EastEnders’ Abi and Lauren Branning rooftop fall being nominated.

At the awards in London tonight, Doctors came out on top for its Bollywood proposal and the audience and viewers were stunned as both winners were announced.

Former Celebrity Big Brother housemate Maggie Oliver and actress Brooke Kinsella appeared on stage to present the award.

They women announced the nominated candidates before host Phillip Schofield walked towards them holding an award as they were ready to announce who had triumphed.

He said: “Ladies, you’re going to need two of these,” before Brooke revealed: “It’s a tie!”

She added: “There are two winners tonight. Doctors and EastEnders!”

Phillip later explained to viewers: “Every way down the voting system they were absolutely tied.

“It’s never happened before.”

Viewers, who were watching from home as the event was broadcast on television for the first ever time, took to Twitter to voice their surprise at two soaps being announced.

One person wrote: “WoW!!! This is undeard of. A tie with EastEnders and Doctors #SceneOfTheYear #SoapAwards.”

Another person tweeted: “#EastEnders had to win that! Cracking scene! #Doctors was a little more unexpected. As was the tie. How very odd. #SoapAwards.”

One unimpressed viewer remarked: “Honestly the Doctors and EastEnders Soap Awards tie was wild not only because it was a tie but also because they were the weakest two.”

And someone else commented: “That was strange doing a tie, I guess it’s fitting something like that happened for the anniversary. I don’t watch Doctors but happy for #EastEnders. I was not a fan of much of that storyline but that scene was amazing.”

EastEnders actor Jake, who plays Max Branning, took to the stage with fellow cast member Jacqueline Jossa, who plays his daughter Lauren.

The star thanked the cast and crew before mentioning his wife Alison and his children.

He then paid tribute to former ‘Enders actress Barbara Windsor, who played Peggy Mitchell, whose husband Scott Mitchell recently confirmed she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and had been suffering with the condition for four years.

Jake said: “I want to send a big EastEnders hug to Barbara Windsor and her husband Scott.

“We love you very much, thank you very much.”

Barbara’s husband Scott opened up to The Sun about his wife heartbreaking battle with her illness last month.

He said: “She’ll look at her wedding ring and say, ‘Are we married?’

“But that’s the thing about this cruel disease, isn’t it.”

The actress was on medication in a bid to control the symptoms but she has worsened in recent weeks.

Scott said: “She’s not frightened of me, so I’m thankful for that. Over the last couple of days, the conversation has turned to, ‘I just think it’s wonderful that you come here to look after me’ – and she keeps thanking me.

“I say, ‘Barbara, I’m not here to look after you, I’m here because I love you.”

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