Thursday, 13 May 2010

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Sex and the Style Editor

Alison Tay

EXCLUSIVE The British Soap Awards 2010: Let’s party!

My starring role at TV’s most glittering night of the year

Style Editor Alison Tay and Hollyoaks star Jennifer Metcalfe on the red carpet at the British Soap Awards 2010

3pm Countdown I was beside myself with excitement to be the only fashionista on red carpet with all the celebs for ITV2's spin-off show The British Soap Awards: Let's Party. It was hairdryers at dawn in the race to get red-carpet ready, with just enough time to squeeze in a Nails Inc manicure and chose a party dress from the Pixie Loves Lipsy collection for the big night.

A super-sleek S Class Mercedes complete with DVD players in the headrests drove me to the ITV Studios, and I headed straight to my dressing room for some last minute primping before the celebs rocked up.

My dressing room was the size of a small studio flat, and I found a hand-tied bouquet of roses and mini hydrangea, Brown Sugar Cupcakes, TIGI Bed Headhair products, Revlon make-up, Sienna X Self-Tanning Mist, a £100 voucher for the Ministry Of Waxing and an Ice Watch waiting for me as a thank you present from ITV. I could definitely get used to this...

5pm Red Carpet The weather may not have perfect for paparazzi posing, but nobody was going to rain on our parade as grand dames like Anita Dobson and Stephanie Beacham rubbed shoulders with soap's sexiest stars such as Michelle Keegan and Sammy Winward.

Corrie stars and real-life best friends Sacha Parkinson and Brooke Vincent narrowly avoided disaster by choosing the same Vicky Martin Grecian maxi gown. 'I wanted to wear it,' revealed Brooke, 'but I saw it first!' added Sacha.

Hollyoaks' Sheree Murphy certainly took no chances making her Soap Awards red carpet comeback in Lanvin, and bringing Justine Mills, the owner of cult Liverpool boutique Cricket as her date.

Emmerdale's Emma Atkins brought her mum down the red carpet and shunned a floaty dress in favour of masculine chic. ‘I'm not a fan of flashing flesh,' she explained.

My award for the worst wardrobe malfunction went to Hollyoaks' Gerard McCarthy who put a hot iron through his shirt minutes before the ceremony, so he had to wash his white T-shirt with shampoo in the hotel and adopted an impromptu casual look.

Sugababes' Jade Ewen added some pop princess sparkle to the proceedings on the arm of her EastEnders star boyfriend Ricky Norwood, and showing there's no rivalry between the soaps, Corrie's Keith Duffy and EastEnders' Cheryl Ferguson treated us to a duet of the Boyzone hit Love Me For A Reason.

Bring up the very sexy rear was Ricky Whittle who was running late, because he couldn't find his suit and had to run to the Zara to buy his Soap Awards outfit. ‘I left everything till the last minute. I'm a boy aren't I?' he joked.

7.30pm Show Time With the awards under way, it was time to me to work on my script of all the frock stars and faux pas and head into hair and make-up. World Heavyweight Boxing Champion David Haye - who was presenting the gong for The Most Kick-Ass Fight Scene - was in the next chair and we were joined by Paul O'Grady who popped in to have his nose powdered too.

As I headed to the TV studio I ran into Diversity's Ashley Banjo and Perri Kiely who'd presented the award for Best On Screen Partnership. I was hoping to see them on the dance floor later, but it was past Perri's bed time, so there was only time to get a good luck kiss from Ash and a quick cuddle with Perri before my big moment.

10pm After Show Angellica Bell teamed up with her husband Michael Underwood to get all the backstage gossip for ITV2's The British Soap Awards: Let's Party.

‘We have such different presenting techniques,' confessed Angellica. ‘It's really funny because we bicker on screen just like we do at home! Michael's really mainstream, and I'm really laid-back so it's great to mesh our styles.'

And who better to join me on the sofa with Angellica and Michael for the low down on the frocks than my fellow fashion queen Louie Spence from SKY1's cult docudrama Pineapple Dance Studios?

11.30pm It's A Wrap! With filming over, it was time to let my hair down and catch up with my secret soapstar style crush Katherine Kelly on the dancefloor.

‘I know you've probably got better things to do, but we're going back to the hotel to party,' she told me. 'Do you want to come?'

As my car left the studio, two long lenses were shoved in through the window and I was blinded by flash bulbs.

Dressing room? Check! Diversity? Check! Partying with the stars? Check! Hounded by the paparazzi? Check! I wish every Saturday night could be this much fun!

Don't miss The British Soap Awards on Wednesday 19 May on ITV1 at 8pm, then turn over to watch me on The British Soap Awards: Let's Party on ITV2 at 10pm

For the low down on the frock stars and the faux pas at The British Soap Awards 2010, don't miss next week's issue on Now Magazine dated 24 May 2010, on sale on 18 May 2010

All the stars at the British Soap Awards 2010>>

British Soap Awards 2010: The after party>>

British Soap Awards 2010: The winners>>

British Soap Awards 2010: Fashion disasters>>