General Hospital was named outstanding daytime drama for a sixth straight year at the 53rd Daytime Emmy Awards, while The Kelly Clarkson Show took the top talk series prize in its farewell season. The ceremony was held Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles and streamed live on YouTube.
What We Know
The ABC soap’s latest win extends a remarkable run. The Associated Press reported that the victory gives General Hospital a record 19th drama series trophy overall. The show also collected the writing award, and Jeff Kober won for guest performance.
The lead acting prizes went to Scott Clifton of CBS’s The Bold and the Beautiful and Tamara Tunie of Beyond the Gates. “I’m speechless,” Clifton said on stage, according to the AP. Tunie called the night “the best welcome back to daytime ever.”
The supporting categories delivered a moment for longtime fans of The Young and the Restless. Roger Howarth and Beth Maitland won supporting actor and actress, decades after their first Emmy wins. Ambyr Michelle of Beyond the Gates took the emerging talent award, and Days of Our Lives won for directing.
In talk television, The Kelly Clarkson Show was named best daytime talk series, a win that came after the program signed off in August, TVLine noted. Sherri Shepherd won outstanding talk show host for Sherri.
Ina Garten had a double night, winning both culinary host and culinary instructional series for Be My Guest on Food Network. Other winners included Entertainment Tonight for entertainment news series, Justice for the People With Judge Milian in the legal and courtroom category, and Solo Traveling With Tracee Ellis Ross for travel and adventure. “Wow, how fun is this?” Ross said as she accepted.
Giada De Laurentiis won for Giada in the Kitchen, and Star Jones shared the daily daytime personality award with Corey Jovan for Divorce Court. In the lifestyle program category, Prime Video’s A Different Breed won, beating Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s With Love, Meghan.
Background
The Daytime Emmys are presented by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and honor programming that airs during the day, from soap operas and talk shows to cooking, lifestyle and courtroom series. This year’s edition, the 53rd, was streamed live on YouTube.
One of the night’s biggest stories was Beyond the Gates. The CBS soap, which debuted in February 2025, earned 16 nominations in its first year of eligibility and won in several categories, according to TVLine. The show has been renewed through 2028.
The evening also honored one of daytime television’s most familiar faces. Genie Francis, famous for playing Laura on General Hospital, received the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Jonathan Frakes. “I have had the most amazing ride and I am so grateful,” she told the audience, the AP reported.
The Daytime Emmys have long celebrated the hosts who shaped American daytime TV, from Oprah Winfrey to Ellen DeGeneres and Maury Povich. Clarkson’s win adds her show to that list of honored talk programs as it bows out.
What’s Next
With Beyond the Gates renewed and General Hospital still on top, the race for next year’s drama series award already looks more competitive. A full list of winners is available from the outlets below.
Sources
- Associated Press (via myMotherLode) – Decades after their first wins, Roger Howarth and Beth Maitland win at Daytime Emmys
- TVLine – Daytime Emmys 2026 winners list
- The Hollywood Reporter – 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards winners
- Deadline – Daytime Emmys winners list 2026