Although Emmerdale has sometimes won the ‘ratings debate’, it is Eastenders who is the clear winner in both the ratings and the awards vote. Emmerdale has won 20 awards in total at the British Soap Awards, but Eastenders has won more a wards than any other soap with a total of 60 awards. In 1999, at the first British Soap Awards, it won two awards; one for ‘Best Dramatic Performance’ by Kelvin Fletcher for his portrayal as Andy Sugden, and another for ‘Best Exit’ by Claire King for her portrayal as Kim Tate. At the 2000 British Soap Awards it won one award for ‘Best Exit’ for Paul Loughran as Butch Dingle who was killed in a bus crash. At the 2001 British Soap Awards it won two awards; one for ‘Most Spectacular Scene’ for Andy Sugden burning the barn, one for ‘Hero of the Year’ for Clive Hornby as Jack Sugden. At the 2002 British Soap Awards it won one award for ‘Best Exit’ for Batley the dog. At the 2003 British Soap Awards it won one award for ‘Best Single Episode’ for Marlon and Tricia’s wedding plans. At the 2004 British Soap Awards it won three awards; oone for ‘Most Spectacular Scene’ for the dramatic storm episode, one for ‘Best Dramatic Performance’ for Mark Charnock for his portryal as Marlon Dingle, and one for ‘Best Exit’ for Sheree Murphy for her portryal as Tricia Dingle who was killed in the storm. At the 2005 British Soap Awards it won two awards, one for ‘Best Single Episode’ for Charity’s and Tom’s wedding, and one for ‘Best Actress’ for Emma Atkins who played Charity Tate. At the 2006 British Soap Awards it won four awards; one for ‘Most Spectacular Scene’ for Daz Eden and Belle Dingle being trapped down a mineshaft, one for ‘Best Bitch’ won by Nicola Wheeler for her portryal as Nicola Blackstock, one for ‘Best Exit’ for Leah Bracknell for her exit as Zoe Tate, and one for ‘Best Comedy Performance’ for Charlie Hardwick for her portrayal as Val Lambert. At the 2007 British Soap Awards it won two awards; one for ‘Most Spectacular Scene’ for the Kings River house collapse and one for ‘Best Dramatic Performance by a young Actor or Actress’ for Eden Taylor-Draper for her portryal as Belle Dingle. At the 2008 British Soap Awards it won two awards; ‘Best Single Episode’ for Baby Daniel’s death, and ‘Special Achievement Award’ for Emmerdale’s line producer Timothy J. Fee. At the 2009 British Soap Awards it won ‘Most Spectacular Scene of the Year’ for Victoria Sugden falling through the ice into the lake. However none of the veteran actors in the show like Richard Thorpe, Chrstopher Chittell or the late Clive Hornby has ever won the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Emmerdale has also won 12 awards at the Inside Soap Awards
In 2001, Emmerdale won a British Academy Television Award for Best Continuing Drama. It has also been nominated in the same category in 2000, 2007, 2008 and 2009.
In 2007, Emmerdale won a Special Recognition Award at the TRIC Awards, being the first soap to have won that award. This win marked Emmerdale’s first ever TRIC Award win at the annual ceremony
Emmerdale has also won a Royal Television Society Award in 2005 in the category of ‘Soaps and Continual Drama’ and has also been nominated for the same award in 2002, 2004 and 2006