WE'RE a nation of soap opera lovers. Despite the best efforts of TV executives who import American hits like the West Wing or big budget homegrown shows like the Blue Planet, when it comes to topping the viewing charts, nothing attracts an audience quite like a soap.

Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and River City give us plenty to gossip about.

And although viewing figures might have slipped from the soaps' heyday, salacious tales of our favourite characters still pull in more than 10million people a night for EastEnders and Corrie.

The baddies, like actor Brian Capron, who famously played Weatherfield killer Richard "Tricky Dicky" Hillman, can become public figures of hate, abused in the street.

But for those playing the best loved stars, a career of spin-offs and public adulation awaits.

This weekend, June Brown, who plays the chain-smoking busybody Dot Cotton in EastEnders is coming to Glasgow for the River Festival.

The 81-year-old is to launch a charity rubber duck race on the River Clyde on Sunday.

So as June Brown prepares for her trip north this weekend, we asked the question - who is your favourite soap opera star?

As Dot Cotton visits Glasgow, you name your top characters
JOHN ALLEN, 53 Coatbridge, teacher: Ken Barlow from Coronation Street. Lots of things have happened to him through the years.	ALICE HARRISON Glasgow, retired: Bet Lynch from Coronation Street because she was a fun character and was comical.	KATE CARROLL, 60 Motherwell, teacher: Pat Butcher from EastEnders. She is a very spirited lady and her character is the most realistic.	ELIZABETH JACK Cumbernauld, housewife: Blanche Hunt from Coronation Street. She is very comical.

WARREN GORDON, 22 Glasgow, PR manager: Lisa Hunter from Hollyoaks, who was played by Gemma Atkinson.

PAT OWEN Glasgow, retired: Elsie Tanner was a great character in Coronation Street. Pat Phoenix played her really well.

JONATHAN STUBBS, 24 Glasgow, photographer: Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders, who is played by Samantha Janus.

BERT KANE, 78 Carluke, retired: I used to watch Coronation Street and it would be good to meet Elsie Tanner.