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Daytime Emmy Category Changes Announced: Outstanding Younger Performer Eliminated; Daytime Program Hosts Revised
The 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards will look a bit different with the elimination of some categories and a redefinition of others as announced on Thursday by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS).
The changes include the elimination of what has become the controversial Outstanding Younger Performer in a Daytime Drama series category, where the age range was so vast that it had younger children competing with older teens or young adults.
That means that General Hospital’s Eden McCoy (Josslyn) will become, for all intent and purposes, the final winner of this category as she took the honors for her work at the 50th annual Daytime Emmy Awards handed out in December of 2023.
Photo: JPI
This category had under gone a myriad of changes and age eligibility rules over recent years. Younger performers were first honored at the Emmys in 1985. With the removal of this category, younger performers are now eligible to submit for Supporting Actor or Actress or Lead Actor or Actress category. The flipside of the change is that there is one less category for Daytime Drama performers to be named in.
Other changes as announced by NATAS include merging ‘Outstanding Writing for a Daytime Non-Fiction Series’ and ‘Outstanding Writing for Daytime Non-Fiction Special’ into ‘Outstanding Writing for a Daytime Non-Fiction Program.’
Additionally, the Daytime Program Host category has been split into two categories – Daytime Personality–Daily, and Daytime Personality–Non-Daily. The complete list of changes is below.
Photo: NATAS
In a statement, Adam Sharp, President of NATAS expressed: “Programming is always changing, and NATAS continues to adapt its competition rules to reflect these shifts in the television landscape. We’re looking forward to gathering again at the 51st Daytime Emmys to celebrate all the nominees and the entertaining and enlightening programs they create.”
Photo: JPI
For a further breakdown of the category changes, see below:
Daytime Program Host Eligibility
Hosts, Co-Hosts, and Correspondents from Entertainment News and Legal/Courtroom Programs (e.g. the judges and bailiffs) are now eligible within the Daytime Personality – Daily or Daytime Personality – Non-Daily category depending on airing/streaming schedule. They also remain eligible in their respective Program categories but cannot win two Emmy statuettes for the same function, e.g. if a Program wins Outstanding Program and the Hosts win Outstanding Daytime Personality, the statuette defaults to the Host entry. Hosts from the same Program will be included in a single entry with all Hosts, Co-Hosts, Anchors and Correspondents on the same submission and the reel must contain footage that highlights all entrants.
Daytime Personality – Daily
Honoring Hosts, Co-Hosts, Anchors, and Correspondents on Daytime-eligible content that airs or streams daily AND/OR has more than 52 episodes per calendar year. Eligible genres are: Entertainment News, Legal/Courtroom, Travel/Adventure/Nature, Instructional/How-To, Lifestyle, Arts and Popular Culture, Educational and Informational, and Short Form.
Note: This does not affect Talk Series Hosts and Culinary Hosts who remain eligible only in their respective categories.
Daytime Personality – Non-Daily
Honoring Hosts, Co-Hosts, Anchors, Correspondents, and Narrators on Daytime-eligible content that airs or streams weekly or all at once AND/OR has fewer than 52 episodes per calendar year (regardless of how many were filmed or produced). Eligible genres are: Entertainment News, Legal/Courtroom, Travel/Adventure/Nature, Instructional/How-To, Lifestyle, Arts and Popular Culture, Educational and Informational, Daytime Special, and Short Form.
Note: This does not affect Talk Series Hosts and Culinary Hosts who remain eligible only in their respective categories.
NATAS also announced that the entry deadline for submissions for the competition will be February 22nd, with a late entry by March 7th. Judging will be from March 21-April 11, 2024 with the official nominations to be revealed the week of April 15th.
No word yet on the date of the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, but one would presume it will be back to sometime in June as it has been in previous years. Last years Daytime Emmys got pushed to December of 2023 due to the writers and performers strikes.
So, what do you think of the elimination of the Outstanding Younger Performer category? As well, as other category changes for this year’s 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards? Comment below.
While the cadre of performers who’ve won in the younger/juvenile/ingenue categories through the years is quite impressive, the narrowing of the age limit to 18 made it a category where children competed against children (not the best of looks).
A wise decision by the TV Academy.
I’m not happy with the younger talent getting placed in the same category as the “adults”. They used to give Junior Emmy’s, right? Why cut out the younger kids? There’s no way they have a chance against some of the powerhouse performers.
Now, if they only had qualifications to host the show, that would be something I’d whole-heartedly support.
The younger lead actress actor category was really getting ridiculous. I don’t see why they can’t do up until 12 for a child actor and then the others compete with the adults because it doesn’t really seem fair you have a kid going up against Maurice Bernard or Steve Burton. The Emmys are really becoming overrated because a lot of the actors that deserve to win don’t win. How in the world Melissa Claire Egan did not win last year is beyond me.
I’m not mad about the category for younger performer being eliminated, I think the Nicholas Chavez and eden McCoy can totally compete with their older peers.
Yes, you are right in a way but do you think it’s right for these two actors to compete against, say, the youngster that plays Leo or the little girl that plays Violet, etc?
So sad to hear another acting category being omitted but sadly a 20 year old winning over 2 ten year olds the writing was on the wall sadly the Emmy’s are becoming the general hospital awards it’s sickening the repeated win for best drama for this show sadly the scene has dwindled with only 4 shows but who wants to watch if you care about the other 3 and it’s constantly slanted towards one show
They still need a category for younger actors on soaps, they just need to cut it off at age 16. It’s not fair for child actors to have to compete with seasoned adult actors. Just another bad decision by the Daytime Emmys aimed at the soaps.
Days of our Lives long-running cast member James Reynolds revealed on the November 10 edition of Entertainment Tonight that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and his character of Abe Carver will now be going through an on-screen Parkinson’s battle as well.
Speaking with ET’s Nischelle Turner, the 80-year-old actor and Daytime Emmy winner shared how he attempted to hide the warning signs dating back to 15-20 years ago when he would have, “What they call the hallucinations. My wife (Lissa) would say, ‘You were hitting me last night in bed,’ and I would say, ‘What?!’ I was having these really horrible dreams.” Reynolds also added that he realized falling out of bed was an early symptom of Parkinson’s too.
Discussing the on-going tremors that have become more noticeable over time especially in hands, James shared that when he finally told the Days of our Lives cast they were nothing but “extraordinarily helpful and supportive.”
Photo: ET
SCREEN LIFE TO MIRROR REAL LIFE
Now with DAYS about to launch into Abe’s Parkinson’s storyline, Reynolds hopes that he can turn his experience into something positive by encouraging others facing the disease to keep fighting. During the sit-down, Reynolds co-star Jackée Harry (Paulina Price) recalls her reaction to learning of Reynolds’ real-life diagnosis and how she has continued to search for new treatments to inform James about.
Although Parkinson’s disease currently has no cure, there are medications and treatments can help those manage symptoms and improve quality of life. The condition progresses at a different pace from individual to individual.
As discussed in his conversation with ET, Reynolds cited Michael J. Fox and Alan Alda as two high-profile celebrities who have brought awareness to the disease.
Photo: JPI
In story on DAYS, Abe in recent weeks had been experiencing tremors which led to seek help and a diagnosis Dr. Kayla Johnson (Mary Beth Evans). Soon Abe and others will find out of his battle with Parkinson’s. Although on the promo for this week’s DAYS, Abe is seen telling Kayla, that he will do something, “when the time is right.”
James Reynolds is one of the most prolific performers, being the longest-running Black Actor in a role on a television series, not to mention his aforementioned Lead Actor Daytime Emmy win in 2018, and being inducted in 2025 into the Daytime Emmy Gold and Silver Society of honorees.
You can check out James’ in-depth conversation on his Parkinson’s diagnosis below.
Share your thoughts for James after learning of his health battle, and what do you think of Days of our Lives incorporating the disease into Abe Carver’s Salem storyline? Let us know in the comment section.
The 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards red carpet arrivals featured many a leading man from your favorite soaps, plus the younger stars and veteran actors you’ve come to love.
The gents were definitely about the bowties this year, plus fashion-forward trends, classic suit and tux looks, or sport jacket and no tie. There were a myriad of fashion choices on display from the one thing the soaps are usually known for, ‘hot’ guys.
This year for the first time the red carpet featured the cast of Beyond the Gates who were eligible for Daytime Emmy competition for the first time in their young history, bringing fresh faces and new vibes to the festivities.
LEADING MEN, VETERAN STARS AND NEWCOMERS STRIKE A POSE
Many of this year’s nominees who went on to become eventual winners, previous Emmy winners, and more, took to the carpet to strike a pose for the paparazzi in attendance.
Some of the standout looks came from (pictured above): Steve Burton (Jason Morgan, General Hospital) in traditional black tux with a sheen, Lawrence Saint-Victor (Carter Walton, The Bold and the Beautiful), Giovanni Mazza (Gio Palmieri), Jibre Hordges (Jacob Hawthorne, Beyond the Gates) and Michael Graziadei (Daniel Romalotti, The Young and the Restless), all wearing tuxes, suits or sportcoat and trousers with a bowtie, plus now two-time Daytime Emmy winner, Roger Howarth (Matt Clark, The Young and the Restless) who gave us that stellar jacket and more relaxed vibe for the carpet.
Now below, check out the other actors who made an impression with red carpet fashion at the Daytime Emmy Awards this past Friday night.
Photo: NATAS
Days of our Lives and Brilliant Minds alum, Al Calderon (ex-Javi Hernandez), a Daytime Emmy nominee in light green suit.
Photo: NATAS
Beyond the Gates’ Jaden Lucas Miller (Tyrell Richardson) had it put together from head to toe making his first appearance at a Daytime Emmy red carpet.
Photo: NATAS
The icon, Y&R’s Eric Braeden, a nominee this year for Lead Actor for his performances as Victor Newman took to the red carpet alongside his granddaughter, but took a moment to pose solo for the cameras.
Photo: NATAS
Alex Cheeks who plays Donnell McBride on Beyond the Gates took to the carpet in this blue suit with brooch.
Photo: NATAS
General Hospital’s Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri) entering the red carpet from the street stylin’ in blue jacket and white sneakers.
Photo: NATAS
The Bold and the Beautiful’s Harrison Cone (Deke Sharpe) bringing the on-trend fashion to the Emmys, as well as he would as the young fashion designer at Logan!
Photo: NATAS
General Hospital’s Sawandi Wilson (Dr. Isaiah Gannon) in velvet red tuxedo stood out on the red carpet.
Photo: JPI
Last year’s Lead Actor Daytime Emmy winner, Paul Telfer (Xander Kiriakis, Days of our Lives) returned this year to present several awards on-stage and hit the red carpet in very stylish black kilt.
Photo: NATAS
Days of our Lives’ newest leading man, Kyle Pryor made his debut on the Daytime Emmy red carpet. He premieres tomorrow on the November 2nd episode of the Peacock streaming soap operas as Dominik Marino.
Photo: NATAS
Beyond the Gates star, Sean Freeman (Andre Richardson) always looks super cool. This time in white jacket and packets making a fashion statement on his first Daytime Emmys red carpet.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
The Bold and the Beautiful’s Crew Morrow (Will Spencer) opted for a jean jacket and black sheen jeans to take to the carpet, but still bringing the swag.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Days of our Lives alum Christopher Sean (Paul Narita), a nominee for Guest Performer in a Daytime Drama Series took to the red carpet in beautiful blue.
So, which men do you think were looking good? Did the actors bring it to the red carpet? Let us know your thoughts and picks via the comment section below.
The 53rd annual Daytime Emmys red carpet was filled with the leading ladies of soap opera, with an array of styles, looks and fashion trends: from bright vibrant colored gowns, plenty of sequins, pantsuits, retro looks, to fashion-forward and more.
From many an Emmy newcomer to the carpet with the stars of Beyond the Gates making their first-ever appearances on daytime’s biggest night, to veteran fan favorites, to the nominees and the guest stars, these women walked the carpet showing off their 2026 fashion sensibilities to the paparazzi.
Let’s take a look at some of the noteworthy looks starting with pictured above: Beyond the Gates star and now Emmy winner, Ambyr Michelle (Eva Thomas), Days of our Lives’ Abigail Klein (Stephanie Johnson), and Sal Stowers (Lani Price Grant), General Hospital’s Katelyn MacMullen (Willow Tait) and alum and nominee Eva LaRue (ex-Natalia Rogers Ramirez).
DRESSED TO IMPRESS
Now below, check out some of the other red carpet looks from the actresses of Beyond the Gates, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless, and then you can let us know in the comment section the answer to our question, “Who’s got the look?”
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
General Hospital’s Amanda Setton, a first-time Emmy nominee for her work as Brook Lynn Quartermaine, looked beautiful in burgundy.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
The Belle of the Ball: Beyond the Gates star Tamara Tunie wowed the red carpet, and later took home her first Lead Actress Daytime Emmy for her role as Anita Dupree.
Photo: NATAS
Y&R star, Hayley Erin (Claire) look stylish and in the popular burgundy dress color trend on the carpet.
Photo: NATAS
General Hospital’s Kelly Kruger (Serena Baldwin) dressed in black and brought elegance to the carpet.
Photo: NATAS
Y&R star, Christel Khalil (Lily Winters) looked stunning in this olive green dress and matching handbag and earrings.
Photo: NATAS
General Hospital’s Alexa Havins (Lulu Spencer) also dressed in sophisticated black with embroidered top and sarong dress.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Days of our Lives’ Cherie Jimenez (Gabi Hernandez), who always wows on the carpet, did so again this year in a pearl white gown.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Beyond the Gates’ Rhonni Rose Mantilla’s (Chelsea Hamilton) in a cobalt blue dress making her first appearance on a Daytime Emmys red carpet.
Photo: NATAS
General Hospital’s Kristen Vaganos (Molly Lansing-Davis) in a pale peach dress took to the Emmys red carpet.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
General Hospital’s Braedyn Bruner (Emma Drake), a first-time Daytime Emmy nominee, showed youth with elegance.
Photo: NATAS
General Hospital’s Maura West (Ava Jerome) and Cynthia Watros (Nina Reeves), both past Lead Actress Daytime Emmy winners, were on-hand to root on this year’s nominee in the category and for their show, which ultimately won Outstanding Drama Series.
Photo: JPI
Three-time Daytime Emmy winner, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers) of The Young and the Restless definitely had people turning heads during the red carpet arrivals.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Y&R’s Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea Lawson) took to the red carpet also in a black dress with her latest hairstyle!
Photo: Hutchins Photo
The one and only Finola Hughes (Anna Devane, General Hospital) opted for a sleek, yet comfortable style for the 2026 Daytime Emmys.
So, who do you think wore it best from the women on this year’s Daytime Emmys Red Carpet? Let us know your thoughts and picks via the comment section below.
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