National Television Awards 2016: EastEnders star Danny Dyer steals the show with hilarious speech

EastEnders actor Danny Dyer left the audience highly amused while accepting his award at the National Television Awards 2016. Hosted at London's O2 Arena on 20 January, the 38-year-old walked away with the best serial drama performance for his role in the BBC1 soap and left viewers in hysterics with his acceptance speech.

Dyer was honoured for his portrayal of Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter and fended off competition from Coronation Street's Jack P Shepherd, who plays David Platt, and Kieron Richardson who stars as Ste Hay in Hollyoaks. After accepting the award from his EastEnders co-stars Jessie Wallace and Shane Ritchie, who play Kat and Alfie Moon, Dyer joked with the audience: "I'm honoured to be part of such a sublime, depressing programme that is EastEnders."

He then added: "I want to thank my mum and dad for having a rollabout in 1977 and conceiving me," prompting host Dermot O'Leary to later joke: "He started early." The actor then posted a photo on Twitter of himself kissing his award with the caption: "Yessssssss. Thank you so much. Everyone who voted for me. You know who you are. I love you all."

Dyer's character Mick has been at the centre of some of the major storylines that have gripped viewers over the past 12 months, including the rape of his wife Linda Carter by his estranged brother Dean Wicks and the revelation that Shirley Carter is his mother not his sister. Following scenes over the Christmas and New Year period, speculation is now rife that 2016 could see the development of an affair between Mick and his son Lee's girlfriend, Whitney Dean.

Although his character has been consumed by intense family drama since arriving in Walford in 2013, Dyer has teased some light-hearted scenes to come thanks to his blossoming friendship with Jack Branning, who is set to become a permanent member of the soap again following a brief return at Christmas. Dyer told Digital Spy of their bond: "I think it's going to be the start of a beautiful friendship, I really do. I love Scott and I respect him. I'm really happy that he's back."

Addressing the playful kiss viewers saw the friends share at Mick's stag do, Dyer added: "I've known Scott for a long time. Scott said, 'Look, I want to come back and I want to be friends with Mick Carter – I don't want to be his enemy'. He thought that Mick and Jack would get on. So what an introduction – tonguing each other!... It helped that we were friends, obviously, because otherwise it would have been slightly awkward. But we just went for it."