The Daytime Emmys crowned General Hospital as outstanding daytime drama at a ceremony in Pasadena on Oct. 17, where the long-running ABC soap led all winners and extended its recent resurgence. The show collected seven trophies, including acting honors for Nancy Lee Grahn and Jonathan Jackson and a guest performance win for Alley Mills, alongside recognition in craft categories, according to the official winners list and contemporaneous reports.
Talk programming split its top awards. Live With Kelly and Mark was named outstanding daytime talk series, while Drew Barrymore earned her first Emmy as outstanding daytime talk series host for The Drew Barrymore Show. Barrymore’s milestone came five years into her show’s run and against a field that included previous winners and established franchises.
A record fell in the nonfiction ranks as Sir David Attenborough, 99, became the oldest Daytime Emmy winner, honored for hosting the nature program Secret Lives of Orangutans. The achievement eclipsed a longevity mark set last year and underscored the ceremony’s broad scope, which ranges from soaps and talk shows to culinary and wildlife series.
The evening’s results also highlighted a competitive year for daytime drama after a period of pandemic-era disruption. General Hospital’s ensemble wins arrived amid strong showings from peer soaps, with Days of Our Lives and The Young and the Restless in the drama field, while performers across multiple series took home supporting and guest awards. Entertainment news also had its moment, with Entertainment Tonight prevailing in its category, and the culinary arena recognized Kardea Brown as outstanding culinary host as her program earned series honors.
The telecast, staged at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, continued a return to in-person pageantry for the 52nd annual edition and streamed widely through official channels. Organizers emphasized accessibility to live and on-demand viewing as categories were announced, reflecting the awards’ effort to meet audiences where daytime content now lives.
