Former Hollyoaks star Rachel Shenton secretly married fiance Chris Overton following their Oscar win.

The couple recently tied the knot after scooping an Academy Award for their short film The Silent Child in March, the actress told The Sun Online.

Shenton, 30, played Mitzeee Minniver in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and met then co-star Overton, also 30, in 2010 while he was appearing as Liam McAllister.

Rachel Shenton and Chris Overton
Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton have married following their Oscar win (Matt Crossick/PA)

They married in a ceremony attended by their friends and family.

Shenton told the website: “We got married not that long ago in amongst all the madness!

“It was a very private event, we wanted to keep it private, but I am so happy though. It has been a very good year, I don’t know what we are going to do next year!”

Asked how their lives had changed since winning an Oscar, Shenton said: “I mean Chris and I are a bit boring and normal so I don’t think it has changed that much day to day really but it has certainly changed us creatively in terms of what we want to do and the meetings we’ve found ourselves in and doors that have been opened.

Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton
Rachel Shenton and Chris Overton, who have tied the knot, met while both starring in Hollyoaks (Ian West/PA)

“Both sides of the pond we’ve had great meetings and we are just very excited for the next projects and things.”

Shenton, originally from Stoke-on-Trent, dreamed up the idea for The Silent Child in her bedroom. She wrote and starred in the picture.

The film, which starred a then six-year-old deaf British girl, Maisie Sly, won best live action short film at the Oscars.

Shenton and Overton, who directed the film, previously told how they raised funds for the film with the help of their parents, who made and sold cupcakes.