Britain’s small screen sirens stepped it up in the glamour stakes to prove the award ceremonies for Hollywood’s finest are not the only star-studded events to spark a red carpet showdown.

Soap stars, television presenters, chefs, ice skaters and singers were among those to arrive in all-out glitz last night for the National Television Awards at the O2 Arena.

• See the full gallery on the right

Although this wasn’t a case of endless floor-skimming style as many of television’s beauties went for short and not always so sweet.

Cheryl Cole: Trash chic from the Geordie girl had the X-Factor for all the wrong reasons. 4/10

Cheryl Cole certainly turned the most heads, but not necessarily as the best-dressed of the evening. She opted for a touch of trash chic in a bondage-inspired little black dress by Versace completed with striking red shoes.

Cheryl Cole's tattoo

Just to up the value of her shock-frock it looked designed purely to show off a new tattoo which snaked across her lower back.

The X-factor judge lost out in the X-Factor style wars to fellow panelist Dannii Minogue and she certainly didn’t improve her style status last night.

Dannii may have been grabbing some alone-time with boyfriend Kris Smith in Los Angeles, but BBC rival Strictly Come Dancing’s Tess Daly beat her hands down in a Grecian-inspired pink full-length gown – bang-on-trend and perfect for the statuesque blonde.

Tess Daly: Strictly pretty in pink for statuesque Tess for a style triumph. 8/10

Even presenter Davina McCall showed her how it was done in gorgeous green – picking up on a theme so loved by the stars at the Golden Globes last week.

Davina McCall: Inspired by the Golden Globe trend for green Davina looked gorgeous but possibly a little too plain. 7/10

While the main battle of the evening was waged between EastEnders and Coronation Street for the best serial drama gong, the Weatherfield and Albert Square regulars also went head-to-head in a fabulous frock-off almost worthy of a Tinseltown billing.

Award-winner Lacey Turner avoided Cheryl’s mistake by choosing demure and dainty in her little black dress – an Audrey-Hepburn inspired prom dress with sophisticated up-do.

Classic and stylish as it was it didn’t add to her performance gong with a nod for best-dressed. That was keenly fought by a bevy of the soap beauties who attended the bash.

Katherine Kelly: Sophiscated and indulgent Katherine certainly left Becky back in Weatherfield. 8/10

Katherine Kelly certainly ditched her character Becky’s weakness for hoodies and bling as she wowed in a blush pink delight with a plunging back while Michelle Keegan choose berry as the palette most likely to impress.

Konnie Huq: No Blue Peter badge for imaginative effort in an outfit too easy to get right for Konnie. 3/10

Brooke Vincent and Sacha Parkinson looked to having a ball as they giggled for the cameras both in lavish draped dresses and killer heels.

EastEnders didn’t quite field as many indulgent frocks but Jessie Wallace in full-length satin gave them something to be proud of while newcomer Kylie Babington looked stunning in a slinky twisted-knot dress which clung to her tiny frame.

The Hollyoaks and Emmerdale ladies didn’t let Corrie and Easties have it all their own way with the Jorgie Poter from Hollyoaks and Sammie Winward from Emmerdale taking all the plaudits in their beautiful dresses.

Michelle Keegan: Love the colour, with a Berry inspired strapless design, but let down by the fishtail skirt which drowns Michelle’s tiny frame. 6/10

But the soaps didn’t provide the only backdrop of some friendly rivalry with the battle of the bumps also giving watching fashionistas plenty to talk about – Holly Willoughby went for black but compared to some of her Dancing on Ice frocks it was a bit of a letdown.

Equally her Dancing on Ice co-star Emma Bunton didn’t exactly pull out all the stops in simple black lace number so it was left to Myleene in mellow yellow to look radiantly pregnant.

The other winners included Christine Bleakley – simple but impressive – while Fearne Cotton looking skeletal in a dull mini-dress and short-sleeved jacket looked to have missed the point of the evening. To dress up and have fun.

By Tracey O’Sullivan