Daytime Emmys 2026 Winners: 'General Hospital' Wins Sixth Straight Drama Prize, Scott Clifton and Tamara Tunie Take Lead Acting Honors

The 53rd Daytime Emmy Awards were handed out on Friday, Oct. 30, and familiar names shared the night with a few first-timers. ABC’s General Hospital won Outstanding Daytime Drama Series for the sixth consecutive year, The Bold and the Beautiful star Scott Clifton won lead actor, and The Kelly Clarkson Show took home more awards than any other program in what is its final season.

Daytime Emmy winners 2026: the big categories

According to Variety and the AP, the top winners included:

• Outstanding Daytime Drama Series: General Hospital (ABC)
• Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama: Scott Clifton as Liam Spencer, The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)
• Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama: Tamara Tunie as Anita Williams Dupree, Beyond the Gates (CBS)
• Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama: Roger Howarth as Matt Clark, The Young and the Restless (CBS)
• Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama: Beth Maitland as Traci Abbott, The Young and the Restless (CBS)
• Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama: Ambyr Michelle as Eva Thomas, Beyond the Gates (CBS)
• Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama: Jeff Kober as Cyrus Renault, General Hospital (ABC)
• Daytime Talk Series: The Kelly Clarkson Show
• Daytime Talk Series Host: Sherri Shepherd, Sherri
• Entertainment News Series: Entertainment Tonight
• Culinary Host: Ina Garten, Be My Guest with Ina Garten, which also won Culinary Instructional Series
• Legal/Courtroom Series: Justice for the People with Judge Milian

General Hospital extends its streak

General Hospital finished with four wins: daytime drama series, writing team, guest performer for Jeff Kober and casting, Variety reported. Kober also earned a Primetime Emmy nomination this year for The Pitt, a rare double nomination in the same year.

The night also honored one of the show’s best-known stars. Genie Francis received the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by her husband, actor Jonathan Frakes. “The joy of doing the work has never left me,” she said, according to Variety. “I am so proud to be a member of the cast of ‘General Hospital.’”

Scott Clifton wins lead actor

Scott Clifton won Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series for playing Liam Spencer on CBS’ The Bold and the Beautiful. He beat a field that included his castmate Thorsten Kaye, General Hospital’s Steve Burton, and The Young and the Restless veterans Eric Braeden and Christian Jules LeBlanc.

Beyond the Gates makes a splash

CBS’ newcomer Beyond the Gates tied General Hospital with four wins in its first year of eligibility, Variety reported, including lead actress, emerging talent, lighting direction and hairstyling/makeup. Tamara Tunie won her first-ever Emmy. “This is the best ‘welcome back to daytime’ ever,” said Tunie, who first worked in the genre in 1987.

Other notable moments

• A 32-year gap: Roger Howarth set a Daytime Emmy record for the longest gap between wins; his last came 32 years ago, according to Variety.
• A bittersweet sendoff: Both The Kelly Clarkson Show and Sherri have been canceled. Kelly Clarkson won five awards, the most of any program, and both shows remain eligible next year because they produced new episodes in 2026.
• First win at last: Star Jones won her first Daytime Emmy after 14 nominations, for Divorce Court.
• Network tally: CBS led all outlets with eight wins.

How the ceremony worked

The awards covered programs that aired from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025. There was no host this year, with Matthew Hoffman serving as announcer, and the single ceremony was streamed on YouTube, Variety reported. The Daytime Emmys moved from June to mid-fall last year.

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