The 24-year-old brunette – who plays Coronation Street’s Tina McIntyre – has won the award for the past three years running.
But this year she faces stiff competition from Hollyoaks star and Dancing On Ice runner-up Jorgie Porter, plus EastEnders’ Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren Branning) and Preeya Kalidas (Amira Masood).
Four in a row? ... Michelle Keegan
Sexiest Female is just one of the categories in the British Soap Awards – the ‘Oscars’ of the soap world – which were announced today.
The ceremony, hosted by Phillip Schofield, takes place at the ITV studios on Saturday April 28th and will be shown on television the following week.
Up for Best Actress are Corrie’s Alison King (Carla Connor), EastEnders’ Jo Joyner (Tanya Jessop) and Nina Wadia (Zainab Masood) and Hollyoaks’ Karen Hassan (Lynsey Nolan). 
Alison is also up for Best Dramatic Performance and Best Storyline, for Carla’s rape and trial ordeal. While Andrew Lancel – who played her attacker, Frank Foster – is nominated for Villain Of The Year.
In the Best Actor category, last year’s winner Danny Miller (Emmerdale’s Aaron Livesey) is competing against Corrie’s Chris Gascoyne (Peter Barlow), EastEnders’ Shane Richie (Alfie Moon) and Hollyoaks’ Emmett J Scanlan (Brendan Brady).
In the Best Newcomer category, Corrie’s Natalie Gumede (Kirsty Soames) will be hoping to beat Doctors’ Lu Corfield (Freya Wilson), EastEnders’ Jamie Foreman (hard man Derek Branning) and Emmerdale’s Gemma Oaten (Rachel Breckle).
Other awards to be handed out on the night will include Lifetime Achievement, Best Exit, Best On-Screen Partnership and Best British Soap.
While some of the awards are voted for by a panel of industry experts, viewers can also have their say and vote for their favourites online at www.britishsoapawards.tv
The full list of nominees is below:
SEXIEST MALE (Viewer vote)
(Last year’s winner was Scott Maslen – EastEnders)
Coronation Street: Chris Fountain (Tommy Duckworth)
EastEnders: Scott Maslen (Jack Branning)
Emmerdale: Matthew Wolfenden (David Metcalfe)
Hollyoaks: Danny Mac (Mark ‘Dodger’ Savage)
SEXIEST FEMALE (Viewer vote)
(Last year’s winner was Michelle Keegan – Coronation Street)
Coronation Street: Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre)
EastEnders: Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren Branning)
EastEnders: Preeya Kalidas (Amira Masood)
Hollyoaks: Jorgie Porter (Theresa McQueen)
VILLAIN OF THE YEAR (Viewer vote)
(Last year’s winner was Emmett J Scanlan - Hollyoaks)
Coronation Street: Andrew Lancel (Frank Foster)
EastEnders: Ace Bhatti (Dr.Yusef Khan)
EastEnders: Joshua Pascoe (Ben Mitchell)
Hollyoaks: Jeff Rawle (Silas Blissett)
BEST ACTOR (Viewer vote)
(Last year’s winner was Danny Miller – Emmerdale)
Coronation Street: Chris Gascoyne (Peter Barlow)
EastEnders: Shane Richie (Alfie Moon)
Emmerdale: Danny Miller (Aaron Livesy)
Hollyoaks: Emmett J Scanlan (Brendan Brady)
BEST ACTRESS (Viewer vote)
(Last year’s winner was Jessie Wallace – EastEnders)
Coronation Street: Alison King(Carla Connor)
EastEnders: Jo Joyner (Tanya Jessop)
EastEnders: Nina Wadia (Zainab Khan)
Hollyoaks: Karen Hassan (Lynsey Nolan)
BEST COMEDY PERFORMANCE (Panel vote)
(Last year’s winner was Patti Clare – Coronation Street)
Coronation Street: Stephanie Cole (Sylvia Goodwin)
Doctors: Jan Pearson (Karen Hollins)
EastEnders: Tameka Empson (Kim Fox)
Hollyoaks: Joe Tracini (Dennis Savage)
BEST YOUNG PERFORMANCE (Panel vote)
(Last year’s winner was Alexander Bain – Coronation Street)
Coronation Street: Alexander Bain (Simon Barlow)
Doctors: Charlie Kenyon (Cameron Waterhouse)
EastEnders: Lorna Fitzgerald (Abi Branning)
Emmerdale: Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle)
SPECTACULAR SCENE OF THE YEAR (Panel Vote)
(Last year’s winner was The Tram Crash – Coronation Street)
Coronation Street: Carla’s Car Crash
EastEnders: Fire at the B&B
Emmerdale: John & Moira’s Car Accident
Hollyoaks: Rae’s Murder
BEST ON-SCREEN PARTNERSHIP (Panel Vote)
(Last year’s winner was Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie – EastEnders)
Doctors: Matthew Chambers & Elisabeth Dermot Walsh
(Dr. Daniel Granger & Dr. Zara Carmichael)
EastEnders: Jake Wood & Jo Joyner
(Max Branning & Tanya Jessop)
Emmerdale: Jeff Hordley & Emma Atkins
(Cain Dingle & Charity Sharma)
Hollyoaks: Ashley Taylor Dawson & Jessica Fox
(Darren Osborne & Nancy Osborne)
BEST NEWCOMER (Panel vote)
(Last year’s winner was Emmett J Scanlan - Hollyoaks
Coronation Street: Natalie Gumede (Kirsty Soames)
Doctors: Lu Corfield (Freya Wilson)
EastEnders: Jamie Foreman (Derek Branning)
Emmerdale: Gemma Oaten (Rachel Breckle)
BEST EXIT (Panel vote)
(Last year’s winner was William Tarmey – Coronation Street)
Coronation Street: Katherine Kelly(Becky McDonald)
EastEnders: Pam St. Clement(Pat Evans)
Emmerdale: James Thornton(John Barton)
Hollyoaks: Kim Tiddy (Heidi Costello)
BEST DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE (Panel vote)
(Last year’s winner was Jane Danson – Coronation Street)
Coronation Street: Alison King (Carla Connor)
Doctors: Owen Brenman (Dr. Heston Carter)
EastEnders: Jo Joyner (Tanya Jessop)
Emmerdale: Jeff Hordley (Cain Dingle)
BEST STORYLINE (Panel Vote)
(Last year’s winner was End of the line for the Websters & Dobbs – Coronation Street)
Coronation Street: Carla’s Ordeal
Doctors: A Perfect Murder
EastEnders: The Brannings deal with Tanya’s diagnosis
Emmerdale: Jackson’s Choice
BEST SINGLE EPISODE (Panel Vote)
(Last year’s winner was Coronation Street Live)
Coronation Street: Becky’s Final Farewell
Doctors: Last Words
EastEnders: Pat: The End of an Era
Emmerdale: The Longest Day
To be announced on the night:
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (Panel Vote)
(Last year’s winner was William Tarmey – Coronation Street)
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (Panel Vote)
(Last year’s winner was Gavin Blyth – Emmerdale)
BEST BRITISH SOAP (Viewer Vote)
(Last year’s winner was EastEnders)
Coronation Street
Doctors
EastEnders
Emmerdale
Hollyoaks |
