Daytime Emmys 2026: New CBS Drama Wins Top Prize

CBS’s “Beyond the Gates” defeated long-running competitors to win the top prize for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series at the 53rd Daytime Emmys held yesterday at the Hollywood Palladium. The new soap opera captured the series award in its first year of eligibility, outperforming established staples of daytime television.

The ceremony recognized programming aired between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. CBS dominated the nominations count, with “The Young and the Restless” receiving 18 nods and “Beyond the Gates” securing 15. The awards covered categories including talk series, entertainment news, culinary shows, and legal programming.

Genie Francis, a “General Hospital” icon, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Gold Circle inductees included Allen Media Group founder Byron Allen, Meredith Vieira, Patrika Darbo, and Francesca James. Stephen Brown and Rubin Ervin were inducted into the Silver Circle.

Matthew Hoffman served as the announcer for the event, which lacked a traditional host. The ceremony moved from its previous June schedule to mid-fall last year. This year’s broadcast streamed exclusively on YouTube.

“The Young and the Restless” continued its strong showing in acting categories. Beth Maitland won for Supporting Performance in a Daytime Drama Series for her role as Traci Abbott. The show also had multiple nominations in lead actor categories, including Eric Braeden for Victor Newman and Christian Jules LeBlanc for Michael Baldwin.

“Days of Our Lives” and “General Hospital” also received acting nods. Stacy Haiduk and Linsey Godfrey were recognized for “Days of Our Lives,” while Steve Burton and Amanda Setton received nominations for “General Hospital.” “The Bold and the Beautiful” saw Heather Tom, Scott Clifton, and Thorsten Kaye nominated in lead categories.

In the talk series category, “The View” was nominated alongside “3rd Hour of Today,” “The Drew Barrymore Show,” “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” “Live with Kelly and Mark,” and “Today with Jenna & Friends.” Entertainment news nominations went to “Access Hollywood,” “Entertainment Tonight,” and “Extra.”

Culinary and lifestyle categories featured a mix of network and streaming titles. “Delicious Miss Brown” and “Be My Guest with Ina Garten” earned nods in the culinary instructional category. “Magnolia Table: At The Farm” and “Pati’s Mexican Table” were also recognized. Travel programs included “Expedition Unknown” and “Long Way Home.”

The writing team for “Beyond the Gates” received a nomination for Outstanding Writing Team in a Daytime Drama Series. Other writing nominations went to “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Days of Our Lives,” and “General Hospital.” Non-fiction writing nods included segments from “Ask This Old House” and “Expedition Unknown.”

The 53rd Daytime Emmys concluded with the announcement of the final categories. The full list of nominees spanned short form programs, guest performances, and personality awards. “Unleashing Hope: The Power of Service Dogs for Children with Autism” was nominated for Outstanding Daytime Special alongside “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.”