Emmerdale actress Laura Norton has said her contract renewal was a perfect early 30th birthday present.
Laura, who plays troublemaker Kerry Wyatt, joined Emmerdale a year ago and has recently been offered another year's contract.
She said: "Oh I'm so chuffed, honestly it's been such an amazing year for me. In terms of my career I've done loads of theatre and amazing jobs over the years, but I turn 30 in a couple of weeks and to be in a job where you're secure and for me having a year in a show like this was brilliant.
"But then to get another one, it's just the icing on the cake."
Laura, who was also nominated for Best Newcomer at the British Soap Awards and the TV Choice Awards, said she was happy Kerry's character had been so popular.
She said: "I've been nominated for a couple of awards and those nominations, regardless of whether you win or not, are class because it's a recognition of the work you're doing. It's good all round because I feel like the character is so well written and so well created and so well formed that it does deserve recognition.
"I'll get tweets off fans saying, 'I know I shouldn't, but why do I feel sorry for her, is it really wrong that I like Kerry?' There's obviously something about that person that [she] makes mistakes, you can't help but like those kinds of people."
