Cotton announced as 'Superstar' winner

Coronation Street's Antony Cotton was announced as the winner of Soapstar Superstar last night.

The actor reacted in shock after host Zoe Ball confirmed that he had beat Emmerdale star Hayley Tamaddon to the crown in the final public vote.

"I was convinced Hayley would win. I'm absolutely astounded," he explained.

"For the first time in this whole competition I am gobsmacked," Cotton added later. "I genuinely thought Hayley had won. She's got a great voice and is so loveable. I suppose now I've got to learn to think that I can do it too. I didn't really want to do the show. I thought I was going to fall flat on my face. But now I'm delighted that I have done it."

Antony - who plays Weatherfield's Sean Tully - has helped to raise £200,000 for his chosen charity, the Elton John AIDS Foundation.