The 2026 Daytime Emmys saw many records set on Friday night, including winning streaks, long gaps between wins, and major watershed moments. Among the historical results are the victories of the soap operas General Hospital, The Young and the RestlessAnd Beyond the doorsplus the news magazine Entertainment tonight.
Here are the multiple stages that occurred during the Daytime Emmy ceremony.
General Hospital continues streak in best drama series
This was the sixth consecutive year that General Hospital won best drama series, setting a record for the longest winning streak for a daytime drama. No other show has won more than three consecutive times: Santa Barbara won from 1988 to 1990, The Bold and the Beautiful from 2009 to 2011, and General Hospital from 1995 to 1997. The show also holds the record for most wins in the category, with 19, eight ahead of The Young and the Restless second all time.
Tamara Tunie becomes second black actress to win Best Actress
Beyond the doors made history with a record 15 Daytime Emmy nominations for a soap opera in its first year of eligibility. He finished the night with four wins, including best lead actress for daytime veteran Tamara Tunie as Anita Williams Dupree. She is the second black actress to win an award in this category, after Mishael Morgan, winner in 2022 for The Young and the Restless. Tunie and her co-star Karla Mosley also made history as the first two black actresses nominated in the category in the same year. Other black women who won that night included Keke Palmer, Tracee Ellis Ross and Star Jones.
Roger Howarth wins his second Emmy Award 32 years after his first
Roger Howarth establishes a historic feat by winning the longest gap between each of his Emmy wins, at 32 years, after winning Best Supporting Actor for The Young and the Restless like Matt Clark. His first Emmy nomination and win came in 1994 in the Best Young Actor category for A life to liveand he was subsequently nominated three times for A life to live And As the world turns. The gap is particularly striking because Howarth joined The Young and the Restless in November 2025 and only had about two months of eligibility.
Beth Maitland has the longest gap between Emmy wins for an actress, winning 41 years apart
But the longest gap belongs to Howarth. The Young and the Restless her co-star Beth Maitland, who won Best Supporting Actress 41 years after her first win. Her first nomination and win in the category was in 1985. Since then, she has been nominated again for the series, in 2019. Her latest win sets a record for the longest gap between acting Emmy wins by a woman.
Entertainment tonight wins his 11th trophy in 13 years
Since the premiere of Best Entertainment News Program in 2014, Entertainment tonight has won an impressive 11 times out of 13 consecutive nominations, extending its record for number of wins in this category. The show has triumphed for the past seven years in a row.
See the full list of 2026 Daytime Emmy winners.
Daytime Emmy Awards 2026: Red carpet arrival photos
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