PRESS ASSOCIATION -- EastEnders star Jessie Wallace - who has had a dramatic year both on and off screen - has been crowned Best Actress at the 2011 Inside Soap Awards.
Walford favourite Wallace, who last month jilted fiance Vince Morse the day before her wedding, had already been celebrating after turning 40 at the weekend.
Her win was the icing on the cake for EastEnders which scooped five awards including Best Soap at the event at north London venue Gilgamesh.
Viewers have seen Wallace's Albert Square character Kat Moon suffer terrible heartache after burying what she thought was her son Tommy's body, only to discover her baby had been swapped and was still alive.
She has also endured relationship battles with husband Archie as they struggled to cope with the rollercoaster of emotions involved. Her real-life woes came after 50-year-old catering boss Morse admitted sending an explicit picture of her to his ex-girlfriend.
Inside Soap readers voted 10-year-old Maisie Smith - who plays Albert Square's Tiffany Butcher - Best Young Actor, while Tameka Empson won Funniest Performance for her portrayal of EastEnders' beautician Kim Fox.
The elaborate Muslim marriage ceremony of Tamwar Masood and Afia Khan in Albert Square took home the Best Wedding prize at the awards, sponsored by Jackpotjoy.com.
Emmerdale's Danny Miller won two awards for the second year in a row, for playing Aaron Livesy.
Miller took home Best Actor and Best Dramatic Performance for the controversial assisted suicide storyline, which saw Aaron being asked to help end the life of Jackson Walsh, played by Marc Silcock, after he was left paralysed in an accident.
Coronation Street won the Outstanding Achievement award for the explosive tram crash and live episode with which the soap celebrated its 50th anniversary.