EastEnders Mick Carter
Danny Dyer has received a nomination for Best Actor for his performance as Mick Carter in EastEnders BBC/Kieron McCarron

Soap fans can get their tea and Digestives at the ready as the nominations for this year's British Soap Awards have been released and small-screen royalty such as Danny Dyer, Lacey Turner and Alison King all feature.

King, who plays Coronation Street's Carla Connor but is soon to depart the show, could leave the cobbles on a high after being shortlisted for the Best Actress accolade alongside EastEnders' Lacey Turner (Stacey Branning) and Rakhee Thakrar (Shabnam Masood). Danny Dyer, too, has received the nod for Best Actor for his role as Mick Carter in EastEnders.

Dyer has made quite the impression playing The Queen Vic's landlord, and has won a multitude of gongs in his television career thus far but has yet to pick up a British Soap Award. He faces frontrunners Coronation Street's Jack P Shepherd (David Platt) and Emmerdale's Danny Miller (Aaron Livesy) for one of the biggest prizes of the night.

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Coronation Street is one of the big five up for the Best British Soap Award. ITV

Amid the individual triumphs, this year's monumental TV talking points include Coronation Street's killing of Callum Logan, EastEnders' Stacey getting sectioned and Emmerdale's sensational helicopter crash, all of which have received nominations. Hollyoaks storyline of the "gloved hand killer" that pointed to Lindsey Roscoe, and the 3000th episode of daytime drama Doctors are also included.

The big five – Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks and Doctors – are all up for the Best British Soap Award, while other awards up for grabs include Best Episode, Villain of the Year and Best Comedy Performance. EastEnders swept the ceremony last year by taking home the Best British Soap gong along with Best Actor for Adam Woodyatt and Best Actress for Kellie Bright.

The 18th annual awards will take place this month and will be hosted by This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield at London's Hackney Empire. Soap fans can vote for some of the awards here.