General Hospital won best daytime drama at the 53rd Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, Oct. 30, at the Hollywood Palladium. The ABC series entered the ceremony with 13 nominations and finished with four competitive awards, including recognition for its writing team and guest performer Jeff Kober. Genie Francis also received the lifetime achievement award.
Beyond the Gates matched that four-award total, with Tamara Tunie earning her first Daytime Emmy as best lead actress in a daytime drama. Accepting the award, Tunie honored the Black actresses whose work had opened opportunities for her, beginning with Cicely Tyson, whom she identified as the first Black woman to appear on a daytime television show, The Guiding Light. The series also earned the emerging talent award for Ambyr Michelle.
Scott Clifton of The Bold and the Beautiful took the lead actor prize. His castmate Heather Tom had been competing for a seventh acting trophy, which would have made her the most decorated actress in daytime history. The Young and the Restless, which led the nominations with 18, collected three awards. Those included supporting acting honors for Roger Howarth and Beth Maitland.
The Kelly Clarkson Show received five awards, including best daytime talk series, although Clarkson did not appear to attend the ceremony. The host award went to Sherri Shepherd, whose talk show Sherri was canceled after four seasons. Clarkson’s talk show had also completed its run.
Among the other winners, Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross earned the travel and adventure program award. Keke Palmer was recognized for executive producing Glam Through the Ages, the daytime short form program winner. Ina Garten received the culinary host prize, and her Food Network show Be My Guest with Ina Garten won for culinary instructional series.
The ceremony also included a political address from NATAS chair Terry O’Reilly ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections. Recalling a congressman jailed in 1798 for criticizing the president in print, O’Reilly credited engaged, informed citizens with protecting press freedom. He described current efforts to control what Americans see and hear, citing restrictions on journalists covering the Pentagon and president, a DOJ antitrust investigation into the White House television press pool, and challenges to the news exemption for programs including The View.
O’Reilly warned that restrictions on political speech could extend to creative expression and urged the audience to resist pressure for a quieter media. NATAS also recognized long-standing television careers through its Gold and Silver Circle Society. Byron Allen, Patrika Darbo, Francesca James and Meredith Vieira joined the Gold Circle, while Stephen Brown and Rubin Ervin entered the Silver Circle, honoring contributions over 50 and 25 years, respectively.
The Hollywood Reporter earned its first Daytime Emmy for Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter, which won best arts and popular culture program. Fellow PMC publication IndieWire received the award for editing a daytime studio program for its craft roundtables, with Trevor Wallace accepting the honor.
