BBC soap ‘EastEnders’ BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
BBC soap EastEnders will receive a special award from BAFTA TV this year.

EastEnders, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, will be celebrated for a commitment to nurturing new talent at the Craft Awards in London, as the show is handed one of the body’s highest honors.

Huge names including Tom Hooper, Sarah Phelps and Dominic Treadwell-Collins have worked on the soap, along with younger stars like BAFTA-winning writer Nicôle Lecky, writer and actress Emer Kenny and actor Tosin Cole (Supacell).

Airing since 1985, EastEnders charts the goings-on in the fictional East London town of Walford. It has been one of the BBC’s most popular continuing dramas for four decades.

Charlotte Moore, Outgoing Chief Content Officer at the BBC, said: “We are thrilled that BAFTA has awarded EastEnders with the Television Craft Special Award. It’s a testament to all those working behind the scenes who produce a continuing drama that has entertained the nation for over 40 years. The show has nurtured, trained, and produced some of the best talent within the industry, with many still working there, and, as an industry, we should be very grateful for what the show produces both on and off screen.”

The BAFTA Craft Awards will take place this Sunday, preceding the main awards by two weeks. High-profile figures up for nomination include Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd, Wolf Hall director Peter Kosminsky and Mr Bates vs the Post Office writer Gwyneth Hughes.