Thursday evening saw the highly anticipated British Soap Awards, which aired on ITV after being filmed over the weekend.
The show hit screens to celebrate the performances behind some of the most talked-about dramatic and heartbreaking moments of the year. However, in an awkward start for the channel, complaints flooded in just seconds into the show as a technical error delayed its start.
Presenter Jane McDonald, 62, opened the show, but viewers were almost immediately met with an error message on their screens.
Those tuned in witnessed a blank screen reading "We're sorry for the disruption," which lasted an embarrassing seven minutes.
ITV soaps Emmerdale and Coronation Street fell short of BBC EastEnders' collection of wins at the awards
ITV
The technical issue meant the show started well past its scheduled time of 8pm, and fans fumed as they noted the programme wasn't broadcast live, believing there was no excuse for the blunder.
Many also fumed about the background music accompanying the error message, with some going as far as to "switch off".
Others also accused ITV of deliberately interrupting the broadcast due to its poorer performance at the awards this year, with BBC's EastEnders collecting far more accolades than ITV soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
"Deliberate… @ITV are pathetic….if one of their soaps had swept the board it would be a different story….it's not even live #soapawards," one theorised on X.
Presenter Jane McDonald was seen opening the awards before the error message appeared for seven minutes
ITV
"Not even live itv really are useless these days #soapawards," a second complained.
A third fumed: "Sort this s*** out @ITV It's not even live ffs #soapawards."
"It's not even live, it's 2025 what is going on ITV - abysmal #soapawards," another raged.
Someone else wrote: "ITV, I am sorry but your 'disruption' music is making me wish I was on the end of a [gruesome] soap death #soapawards."
"Sorry @ITV but I'm watching @bbceastenders due to the technical fault, can’t listen to that noise #SoapAwards," another shared.
One more posted: "ITV could have made the 'sorry for the disruption' noise less annoying #SoapAwards."
EastEnders won an array of awards, with the BBC soap scooping accolades for Best Episode, Best Dramatic Performance, and several others.
Only Fools and Horses icon Sir David Jason, 85, also took to the stage to present the coveted Best Soap Award.
Former Strictly Come Dancing star Kevin Clifton at the British Soap Awards
ITV
As for ITV, Emmerdale actress Amelia Flanagan became emotional as she won the Best Your Performer award for her role as April Windsor.
The 16-year-old has now been awarded the gong twice, with the youngster having won the same title in 2015.
Another significant award went to Coronation Street, with David Neilson, who has starred as the beloved Roy Cropper for 30 years, collecting the Outstanding Achievement Award.
It seems the night was rather chaotic, with the soap stars having to evacuate at one point over a bomb threat at London’s Hackney Town Hall, where the event was being hosted.
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EastEnders won the coveted Best Soap at the 2025 awards
ITV
The ceremony took a turn when stars celebrating at the after party were told to evacuate just before 1am.
A source told the Mirror: "It was total panic. Security rushed around and told everyone to get out immediately.
"At first, they didn’t say why- but soon we were told there was a bomb threat. Everyone was left standing outside, confused and shocked."
An ITV spokesperson confirmed: "Owing to a security alert after the recording of the awards, it was necessary to evacuate the after-party venue. Everyone was cleared from the building safely."
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