HETTI BYWATER READY TO CROWN CRACKING YEAR WITH TOP HONOUR
Susan Hill
DAILY STAR SUNDAY
23rd September 2012[/align]
HETTI Bywater will take home the Best Newcomer crown at tomorrow’s Inside Soap Awards – confirming her as Albert Square’s hottest blonde. The actress, who plays Lucy Beale, took over as café boss Ian’s troublesome daughter in January after bosses decided to recast the character.
In the battle for the award she faced stiff competition from Corrie’s Natalie Gumede (who plays Kirsty Soames), Emmerdale’s Gemma Oaten (Rachel Breckle) and Hollyoaks actor Steven Roberts (George Smith) after readers of Inside Soap magazine voted in their thousands. Stunning Hetti, 17, was “thrilled” when she discovered she had won and is looking forward to collecting her gong tomorrow at the annual London gathering of the biggest stars in the business.
An awards insider told the Daily Star Sunday: “Hetti was so excited when she was nominated, so to have won has left her totally thrilled. She’s worked hard over the last few months and has been involved in a number of very emotional and gripping storylines. It’s never easy replacing another actor in a role but she’s made it her own and really deserves the recognition. She’s a sweet girl and everyone is really happy for her.” Our source went on: “This was a really tough category for her to win, especially given that it was Corrie’s Natalie Gumede who won it at the British Soap Awards. “I think a lot of people were expecting her to win it again. But this time it was Hetti and EastEnders’ time.”
Leggy Hetti took over the role of Lucy after bosses axed Melissa Suffield, who had been in the role for six years. She made her debut at the funeral of family friend Pat Evans in January, where Lucy was shocked to discover her dad had hooked up with scheming Mandy Salter. Lucy did everything in her power to split the pair up but was devastated when her dad left her after being ditched by Mandy on their wedding day. But as she struggled to look after little brother Bobby and run the Beale empire, viewers got to see a different side of the former brat.
An EastEnders insider added: “We’ve seen Lucy really grow up on screen over the last few months, playing mum to Bobby and running her dad’s businesses. As she struggled to cope with it all we got to see her vulnerable side too. There’s also been some really touching scenes with her dad Ian as he tries to come to terms with his illness. But Lucy will always be Cindy’s daughter and will always have that side of her personality, which is very interesting for the soap’s writers. And with Hetti proving so popular with viewers they’re planning even bigger things for her over the next few months.”
Inside Soap editor Steven Murphy said: “This year Inside Soap readers have been voting in their thousands – and the competition is hotter than ever. I can’t wait to reveal the winners – there will be a few shocks, I can tell you!”
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in-depth reporting from the Daily Star there! haha
