The 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards were presented Friday evening, with General Hospital winning the top prize for best daytime drama.
The series, which won 13 awards on Friday night, took home three more awards and saw its Genie Francis receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Beyond the doors also won four awards, with star Tamara Tunie winning Best Actress in a Daytime Drama Series. Best Actor in a Daytime Drama Series went to The Bold and the BeautifulIt’s Scott Clifton.
Tunie, who won her first Daytime Emmy, paid tribute to “the multitude of black actresses who paved the way for me, and I feel them as I stand here tonight, starting with the legendary Cicely Tyson, the first black woman to appear on a daytime television show, The guiding light.”
Heather Tom, nominated for best actress, from The Bold and the Beautifulwas aiming for a record seventh trophy, which would have made her the most awarded actress in the history of the day.
THE Young and restless led this year’s nominees with 18 nominations. Although he only won three awards, two of them were in the supporting artist category. Roger Howarth was named Best Supporting Actor and Beth Maitland was named Best Supporting Actress.
The Kelly Clarkson Show won five awards, including best daytime talk series, but the singer-host of the now-defunct talk show didn’t appear to be in attendance at the Daytime Emmys. And Clarkson didn’t win best daytime TV series host. Instead, that honor went to another former talk show host, Sherri Shepherd, whose eponymous talk show was canceled after four seasons.
Other notable winners included Tracee Ellis Ross, who won Best Travel and Adventure Program for her. Travel alone to show; Keke Palmer, who won for her work as executive producer Glamor through the ages; and Ina Garten, who won Best Culinary Host for her Be my guest Food Network series, which was named best culinary educational series.
Midway through the ceremony, NATAS President Terry O’Reilly delivered a timely political speech, just days before the 2026 midterm elections. Speaking about a congressman imprisoned in 1798 after criticizing the president in writings, O’Reilly emphasized the power of the people.
“The free press of 1800 was not saved by a court of law. It was saved by engaged and informed citizens,” he said.
Looking to the present, O’Reilly denounced “the most sustained effort I have faced in my lifetime to control what Americans see and hear in this country.” He specifically cited the ban on journalists covering the Pentagon and the president, the Justice Department’s antitrust investigation into the White House press pool, and the challenge to the news exemption enjoyed by late-night and daytime programs, including The view.
“There’s not much difference between silencing political discourse and suppressing creative expression,” O’Reilly added. “Characters, plots, points of view decided by someone in power are no longer welcome. Here in the birthplace of Hollywood, this city of all cities, we know where that can lead. We have seen what happens when those in power start making lists of people, pops and ideas that they are willing to label as un-American. We should never want to see that again.”
Regarding Tuesday’s “consequential” midterm elections, O’Reilly appealed to the audience: “Let us stand united in resisting those who would seek comfort in a quieter media.” »
And NATAS has also inducted a number of individuals into its Gold and Silver Circle Society, recognizing industry leaders who have demonstrated lasting contributions to television during their 50 or 25 years in the industry. The 2026 Gold Circle inductees are Byron Allen, CEO of Allen Media Group, performer Patrika Darbo, actress-director-producer Francesca James and producer-host Meredith Vieira. Silver Circle inductees are Fox TV Stations Executive Vice President, Programming and Development Stephen Brown and Announcer Warm-Up Host Rubin Ervin.
The Hollywood Reporter won its first Daytime Emmy, winning Best Popular Arts and Culture Program for THR‘s Out of script series of round tables.
Other PMC brand IndieWire also won Best Editing for a Daytime Studio Program for its craft panel discussions, with Trevor Wallace accepting for the mark.
The 53rd Daytime Emmy Awards took place on Friday, October 30 at the Hollywood Palladium.
A complete list of 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards winners follows.
Outstanding daytime drama series
Beyond the doors
CBS
The days of our lives
Peacock (Corday Productions, Inc. | Sony Pictures Television)
General Hospital (WINNER)
ABC
The Young and the Restless
CBS (Sony Pictures Television)
Exceptional Daytime Lecture Series
3rd hour of TODAY
BNC
The Drew Barrymore Show
CBS Media Companies
The Kelly Clarkson Show (WINNER)
NBCUniversal Syndication Studios
Live with Kelly and Mark
Disney Entertainment Distribution
TODAY with Jenna and her friends
BNC
The view
ABC
Outstanding entertainment news series
Access Hollywood
NBCUniversal Syndication Studios
Entertainment Tonight (WINNER)
CBS Media Companies
Additional
Warner Bros. Television (Telepictures)
Exceptional culinary educational series
Andrew Zimmern’s Wild Game Cooking
External channel (intuitive content)
Be My Guest with Ina Garten (WINNER)
Food Network (Pacific Productions)
Delicious Miss Brown
Food Network (FRANK.)
Magnolia table: on the farm
Magnolia Network (zero blind)
Pati’s Mexican table
PBS (Mexican Table LLC | Early Light Media)
Outstanding culinary cultural series
America the Generous
PBS (Credo nonfiction)
Best Food Review Show Ever
Best Food Review Show Ever on YouTube
Fork and Hammer
American Public Television (Susie Films)
Lucky Chow (WINNER)
PBS (lucky rice)
Savor the city
TV-One (Powerhouse Productions)
Legal series/exceptional audience
Caught in Providence
Debmar-Mercury
Divorce court
FOX
Justice for the people with Judge Milian (WINNER)
Entertainment Studios
Mathis Court with Judge Mathis
Entertainment Studios
Exceptional travel and adventure program
Unknown shipping
Discovery channel (Ping-Pong Productions)
A long way home
Apple (Long Way Productions)
The pretty lemurs of Madagascar
Animals.TV (Allen Media Group)
Traveling Solo with Tracee Ellis Ross (WINNER)
Roku (Joy Mill Entertainment | Story Syndicate | Artists First)
Super qualified with Eva zu Beck
National geographic
Exceptional educational/practical program
Ask this old house
PBS | Roku (This Old House Productions)
Fixator Upper: Colorado Mountain House
Magnolia Network (zero blind)
Hometown Takeover (WINNER)
HGTV (RTR Media Inc.)
The Last Wright: Building the Final Home Design of America’s Greatest Architect
Magnolia Network (A Traveler | All 3 Media | A | Miziker Entertainment)
This old house
PBS | Roku (This Old House Productions)
Exceptional Lifestyle Program
A Different Breed (WINNER)
Inkblot Tales (Purina Films)
George to the rescue
BNC
With love, Meghan
Netflix (Sony Pictures Television | Intellectual Property Company (IPC) | Archewell Productions)
Motherhood
Hallmark Channel | Hallmark+ (Scout Productions | Deep Blue Productions)
The magician of paws
BYUtv (Nomadica Films | Le Dodo | Vox Media Studios)
Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program
Beyond the Gates: Welcome to the Neighborhood
An entertainment special tonight
CBS Media Companies
Off-Script with The Hollywood Reporter (WINNER)
The Hollywood Reporter (IFC)
Variety actors and CNN on actors
Digital CNN | Variety
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
PBS
Work in the theater
AmericanTheatreWing.org
Exceptional daytime special
Critics Choice 2nd Annual Celebration of LBGTQ+ Film and Television
Here the TV
Magical Christmas Day Parade at Disney Parks
ABC (Disney Yellow Shoes Studios | Film 45 | EverWonder Studio)
Living proof
Hulu (The DIVA Foundation | Shivelight LLC | Zables & Associates)
Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
BNC | Peacock (done and dusted)
Unlocking Hope: The Power of Service Dogs for Children with Autism (WINNER)
Hulu (NY27 Productions | Shivelight LLC | Zables & Associates)
Exceptional short day program
Catalyst
LinkedIn News
Glam through the ages (WINNER)
KeyTV Network
Most ordered
Eater
The Path with Ryan Roslansky
LinkedIn News
Get up and do something with Michael Jr.
BYUtv (Photos of the monument)
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series: Actress
Stacy Haiduk as Kristen DiMera
The days of our lives
Peacock (Corday Productions, Inc. | Sony Pictures Television)
Karla Mosley as Dani Dupree
Beyond the doors
CBS
Michelle Stafford as Phyllis Summers
The Young and the Restless
CBS (Sony Pictures Television)
Heather Tom as Katie Logan
The Bold and the Beautiful
CBS (Bell-Phillip TV Productions, Inc.)
Tamara Tunie as Anita Williams Dupree (WINNER)
Beyond the doors
CBS
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series: Actor
Eric Braeden as Victor Newman
The Young and the Restless
CBS (Sony Pictures Television)
Steve Burton as Jason Morgan
General Hospital
ABC
Scott Clifton as Liam Spencer (WINNER)
The Bold and the Beautiful
CBS (Bell-Phillip TV Productions, Inc.)
Thorsten Kaye as Ridge Forrester
The Bold and the Beautiful
CBS (Bell-Phillip TV Productions, Inc.)
Christian Jules LeBlanc as Michael Baldwin
The Young and the Restless
CBS (Sony Pictures Television)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series: Actress
Linsey Godfrey as Sarah Horton
The days of our lives
Peacock (Corday Productions, Inc. | Sony Pictures Television)
Camryn Grimes as Mariah Copeland
Young people and…
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