The 52nd Daytime Emmy Awards are just around the corner, and amid this the first set of nominations are out in the Drama and Talk Show Category. Here all the contenders in the category.
The prestigious 52nd annual Emmy Awards are set to take place on October 17, 2025, in Pasadena. And the excitement for the event has already started to build up with the first wave of nominations being officially announced by the National Academy of Television Arts and Science (NATAS). While the complete list of nominees will be soon released, several key categories, including Talk shows, Drama series, and lead acting performances, have already been revealed by the organisation, which are hinting at a competitive award season.
In 2025, only three shows have made it to the list of the Outstanding Daytime Drama Series category. It includes ABC's General Hospital, which won in 2024, Peacock's Days of Our Lives and CBS' The Young and the Restless. These shows have dominated the Daytime scene with their interesting storyline and loyal audiences. The smaller number of nominees is due to the rule of NATAS, which states that in any category with less than 10 submissions, not more than 50 percent of the entries would be selected.
It is an old rule which is applicable to nominees across all categories to ensure the reputation of the quality of nominees. However, the absence of CBS's new show, Beyond the Gates, which began in February 2025, might raise eyebrows. However, it's because the eligibility window fell between January 1-December 31, 2024. So, it would likely make a strong contender in 2026.
The list for the Outstanding Drama Series category is led by CBS's The Young and Restless, which secured four nominations, including Sharon Case ('Sharon Newman'), Eileen Davidson ('Ashley Abbott'), Melissa Claire Egan ('Chelsea Lawson'), and Michelle Stafford ('Phyllis Summers'). Joining them are Nancy Lee Grahn, who plays 'Alexis Davis' and Laura Wright, who plays 'Carley Spencer' in General Hospital.
The list for outstanding lead actors in a Daytime drama series is more competitive, with actors from Days of our Lives, The Young and the Restless and the General Hospital leading the charge. Nominees from The Young and the Restless include Peter Bergman as 'Jack Abbott', while Eric Martsolf as 'Brady Black', Greg Rikaart as 'Leo Stark' and Paul Telfer as 'Xander Kiriakis' made it from Days of our Lives. Lastly, Dominic Zamprogna, as 'Dante Falconeri' represents General Hospital in the list.
On the other hand, the selected contenders from the Outstanding Daytime Talk Series include classic shows like The Drew Barrymore Show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly and Mark and The View.
Apart from these, nomination list from the Outstanding Lifestyle Program, Culinary Instructional Series and Travel and Adventure Program have also been revealed. It will be interesting to see on who backs the prestigious award in this high-stakes competition.
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