Ryan Dunn

By SARAH BULL

Looking pretty in pink: Coronation Street star Michelle Keegan wore a berry-coloured dress while Katherine Kelly wore a blush pink outfit

- EastEnders beats Coronation Street to be named Best Serial Drama

- Ant and Dec win Best Entertainment Presenter for the 10th year running

The competition everyone waits for at the National Television Awards is the battle between Coronation Street and EastEnders for the Best Serial Drama prize.

But at the 2011 ceremony at London's O2 Arena tonight, fans were more concerned about who won the fashion contest between the ITV and BBC soaps.

And the Corrie girls, lead by the incredibly glamorous Michelle Keegan and Katherine Kelly, beat Walford hands down as they took to the red carpet in their full-length and fabulous frocks - despite the fact that EastEnders actually took home the Best Serial Drama award in the end.

Grecian and gorgeous: Coronation Street stars Brooke Vincent and Sacha Parkinson went for stunning draped dresses

While Michelle went for a pretty berry-coloured gown, Katherine showed off her figure in a backless blush pink dress.

And Brooke Vincent and Sacha Parkinson also donned stunning dresses for the ceremony, with Brooke going for a strapless white grecian number and Sacha wearing a pretty green gown.

They did face tough competition from EastEnders stars Jessie Wallace and Rita Simons, who also decided to don their glam rags for the occasion.

It's Kat and Alfie Moon! Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie pose on the red carpet

Glamorous: EastEnders stars Jessie Wallace and Rita Simons looked stunning in their red carpet outfits at the National Television Awards at London's O2 Arena

While Jessie opted for a full-length satin, embellished dress her EastEnders character Kat Slater would most probably balk at, Rita went for sexy glamour in a low-cut black dress and sky-high leopard print heels.

But Jessie and Rita weren't the only soap stars at the event, as their EastEnders castmates Zoe Lucker and Kylie Babbington, who play on-screen mother and daughter Vanessa and Jodie Gold also dressed up for the occasion.

However, the pair showed off their incredibly differing styles, with Zoe going for a short minidress to show off her legs and Kylie opting for a pretty green twisted knot dress with silver sandals.

Monochrome: Dancing On Ice star Jennifer Metcalfe wore a tight white dress, while Hollyoaks co-star Jorgie Porter opted for a black and diamante full-length dress

Meanwhile, fellow Albert Square residents Diane Parish and Bunmi Mojekwu left the colour at home and decided to wear full-length black dresses on the red carpet.

But it wasn't only stars of EastEnders and Coronation Street who were lighting up the red carpet.

Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter, who plays Theresa McQueen in the Channel 4 soap, looked stunning in her long black dress which featured a plunging neckline and embellished back detaiI.

Ladies in black: Alesha Dixon, Stacey Solomon and Cheryl Cole all wore black for the occasion

And her co-star Jennifer Metcalfe, who is currently appearing in ITV reality show Dancing On Ice, also pulled out all the stops for her simple but stylish tight white dress and gold heels.

Kerry Katona appeared to have taken inspiration from Dancing On Ice mentor Jane Torvill's famous Bolero blue outfit in her asymmetric Anoushka G dress, which highlighted her newly-slim and tanned figure.

Kerry wasn't the only star who chose blue for the red carpet, as Big Brother star Josie Gibson and Hollyoaks actress Bronagh Waugh also donned royally-coloured dresses.

Jewels in the crown: Davina McCall wore a tight green dress, Gillian McKeith opted for red and Emmerdale star Sammy Winward looked gorgeous in purple

Loved-up: Christine Bleakley, who looked stunning in a blue silk Yong dress, and boyfriend Frank Lampard

Young fashionistas: Fearne Cotton, EastEnders' Lacey Turner and Hollyoaks actress Ashley Slanina-Davies

But black was also a strong contender among the celebrities who walked the red carpet, with The Only Way Is Essex star Amy Childs looking stunning in a black halterneck Nico Didonna gown.

Stacey Solomon and Alesha Dixon decided to show off their figures in low-cut black numbers, with Stacey opting for a plunging diamante dress which worked wonders when she opened the awards ceremony with a duet with I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! campmate Shaun Ryder.

But not everyone stuck to black, with many of the stars at the event wearing bright jewel colours.

Family reunion: EastEnders stars Zoe Lucker and Kylie Babbington, who play on-screen mother and daughter Vanessa and Jodie Gold

You're a long way from Albert Square! EastEnders stars Diane Parish, who plays Denise Johnson, and Bunmi Mojekwu, who plays Mercy Olubunmi (right) both opted for full-length black dress for the occasion

While Davina wore a tight green dress with cut-out shoulders, I'm A Celebrity contestant Gillian McKeith wore a bright red short minidress while Emmerdale star Sammy Winward went for a full-length purple number.

And Christine Bleakley also went all out for the ceremony, wearing a gorgeous blue Yong dress as she posed with boyfriend Frank Lampard, who looked dapper in a black satin suit.

The glitzy bash at the O2 Arena in south east London is one of the top nights for TV stars in the awards calendar and drew a roll-call of glamorous on-screen talent.

Glitz and glamour: Kerry Katona went for a pretty pale blue asymmetric dress while The Only Way Is Essex star Amy Childs opted for a shiny black halterneck dress

Christine and Frank weren't the only celebrity couple at the event, with Jane Torvill arriving with skating partner Christopher Dean and Chris Tarrant posing with girlfriend Jane Bird.

I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here stars Stacey and Shaun kicked off the ceremony with an unlikely duet.

The reality stars performed a medley of I'm Feeling Good and Step On then left the stage to Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones to announce the first winner, ITV1's Benidorm, which carried off the award for Most Popular Comedy Programme.

Accepting the award, Steve Pemberton said: 'They'll be dancing in the streets of Benidorm tonight.'

Full-length and fabulous: Jade Ewen opted for a chic grecian-style gown with turquoise accessories while Tess Daly also went grecian in a pretty pink dress

Luis Urzua, one of the miners saved from the pit disaster in Chile, was greeted with a standing ovation as he came on stage to present the award for Most Popular Drama.

The winner, school-drama Waterloo Road, saw off competition from much-fancied Sherlock and Doctor Who.

Its cast and crew, including Amanda Burton, came on stage to accept the award.

Zen star Rufus Sewell handed out the Digital Choice award to the cast of teen comedy The Inbetweeners.

Loved-up: Sugababes star Jade Ewen arrived with her boyfriend, EastEnders star Ricky Norwood, who took home the newcomer award

Blake Harrison, who plays Neil in the show, said: 'This is a very, very special award to all of us because you the public have voted for it.'

Speaking backstage after picking up the award for Most Popular Comedy Programme, Benidorm's Steve Pemberton said the show had "absolutely got legs", and teased viewers about what to expect from the new series.

He said: 'We have Cilla Black, we have Banarama, we've already had Louie Spence. We have Melvyn Hayes, and Danyl Johnson from last year's X Factor.

'Cilla was a great sport and is sending herself up in the show. She's in the first episode of the new series.

Battle of the bumps: Pregnant Myleene Klass looked stunning at the National Television Awards 2011 in a canary yellow dress and pretty headband

Boring in black: Emma Bunton and Holly Willoughby, who are also expecting babies, stuck to basic black dresses

After picking up the award for Most Popular Newcomer, Norwood, who plays Fatboy in EastEnders, said he was 'so happy' to have won, and dedicated it to his grandmother.

'(The award) is going on the mantelpiece with a picture of my nan, who always loved EastEnders,' he said.

'My nan was a very wise woman as well as a very straight forward woman. She always supported me.

'She was the first to get me into performing. She started me breaking dancing when I was three.'

Loose ladies: Loose Women stars (left to right) Lisa Maxwell, Kate Thornton, Andrea McLean, Zoe Tyler and Coleen Nolan

Babes in blue: Big Brother stars Josie and John James put on a united front, while Hollyoaks actress Bronagh Waugh arrived with co-star Kieron Richardson

EastEnders star Lacey Turner won the Outstanding Serial Drama Performance for her role as Stacey Slater.

The actress, whose character left the soap in dramatic style at Christmas, thanked everyone connected with the show.

She said: 'In the six years I was there I learned so much from you all.'
Geordie duo Ant and Dec picked up the Most Popular Entertainment Presenter award - a category they have dominated having won it for 10 years in a row.

Glamorous couples: Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean looked stunning as always, while Lisa Faulkner posed with Masterchef's John Torode

Loved-up: Chris Tarrant and girlfriend Jane Bird cuddle on the red carpet, while David Jason arrived with wife Gill

The pair, filming Britain's Got Talent in Cardiff, nominated Simon Cowell to accept the award on their behalf.

Cowell said it was 'well deserved' but jokingly admitted the pair's success was getting 'annoying'.

Next up was Ashes hero Alastair Cook to hand over the award for topical magazine show.

The batsman was joined on stage by a representative of the MCC who handed him the cricket trophy to show the cheering audience.

Here come the boys: Rufus Sewell and EastEnders stars Scott Maslen and Neil McDermott looked dapper in their suits and ties

The result, which saw ITV1 show This Morning win, might cause a problem for chef Gino D'Acampo who promised to cook in the nude if they came out on top.

The show's co-host Phillip Schofield joked: 'Tomorrow we bring out the barbecue.'
Then it was the turn of Strictly Come Dancing's most unlikely star, Ann Widdecombe, to hand over the prize for Most Popular Factual Programme.

Top Gear beat Celebrity Masterchef, Junior Apprentice and Who Do You Think You Are?

We won! The cast of The Inbetweeners celebrate after picking up the Digital Choice award

Winners: Shaun Ryder and Stacey Solomon collected the award for I'm A Celebrity while Lacey Turner received her best drama performance award from Louie Spence

Jeremy Clarkson offered a consolation to the cookery show which he said was his daughter's favourite programme and joked that he was not sure they should have won this category.

He said: 'There hasn't been a fact on Top Gear for seven years now, it's just three middle-aged men falling over.'

James May got a laugh when he thanked the woman who had tucked in their microphones - a reference to the sexism row that has seen Andy Gray leave Sky Sports

Congratulations: Cheryl gets a kiss from Simon after they find out X Factor has won

Success: Cheryl Cole, Simon Cowell and Matt Cardle walk to the stage after learning the X-Factor has won Most Popular Talent Show

After presenting the award for Most Popular Entertainment Presenter, Jonathan Ross confirmed he had spoken to Cheryl Cole earlier in the evening to make sure she was not upset about a recent joke he made at the British Comedy Awards.

He said: 'I wanted to make sure she was happy and relaxed and cool about the Comedy Awards gag we made, which she was.'

He added: 'And I tried to take a photograph of her from behind as she walked off but her minder stopped me.'

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Me and my women: Bruce Forsyth (centre) is flanked by wife Wilnelia (left) and Strictly Come Dancing co-host Tess Daly (right) as he wins the Special Recognition Award

The silver foxes: Brucie with his award, and David Jason after winning the Most Outstanding Drama Performance prize

Child stars: Outnumbered actors (left to right) Tyger Drew Honey, Ramona Marquez and Daniel Roche arrive for the awards

There was a shock for two young members of the audience who were asked on stage to present the award for Most Popular Talent Show to The X Factor.

Cowell joined Cardle and Cole on stage to collect the award and dedicated it to one of the show's producers, who was diagnosed and treated for cancer this year - and then joined the victorious trio on stage.

Cowell said: 'It totally rocked our world, it was the worst thing. The big news was she beat it, she recovered.'

Surprise! Ant and Dec received the Entertainment Presenter award for the tenth year running and thanks fans for voting for them as they filmed Britain's Got Talent in Cardiff

Veteran actor David Jason picked up the award for Most Outstanding Drama Performance - despite earlier predicting he would not win.

His role as world-weary copper Jack Frost saw off challenges from Doctor Who star Matt Smith, Ashes to Ashes star Philip Glenister and Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch.

He said: 'This is a real turn up for the book. I just have to thank you all who voted for me.'

The award for Most Popular Serial Drama was presented by Stacey Solomon to EastEnders.

Members of the cast including Perry Fenwick (Billy Mitchell), Steve McFadden (Phil Mitchell) and Nadia Wadia (Zainab Masood) came on stage to accept the award.