General Hospital Claims Record 19th Daytime Emmy
The ABC soap opera secured its sixth consecutive series win, while Scott Clifton and Tamara Tunie took home lead acting trophies at the 53rd annual ceremony.
By Matthew Qureshi ·
General Hospital has accumulated 19 Daytime Emmy awards for outstanding drama series, a record that extends its streak to six consecutive years. The ABC production also collected trophies for writing and guest performance, the latter awarded to Jeff Kober. This marks the third time in recent memory that the long-running medical drama has dominated the top category, cementing its status as a fixture of the daytime television landscape.
In the lead acting categories, Scott Clifton and Tamara Tunie emerged as the winners. Clifton, who portrays Liam Spencer on The Bold and the Beautiful, claimed his second lead actor award. His victory completes a unique sweep, making him the first male actor to win in the lead, supporting, and younger actor categories. He defeated a field that included Eric Braeden, Steve Burton, Thorsten Kaye, and Christian Jules LeBlanc. Clifton described the moment as speechless, citing the appreciation from his peers as a primary source of joy.
Tamara Tunie won the lead actress award for her role as Anita Dupree on Beyond the Gates. The CBS series debuted last year, notable for featuring the first primarily Black cast since the 1990s and being the first new network soap since 1999. Tunie, who first entered daytime television in 1987 on As the World Turns, stated that the award felt like the best welcome back to the industry. She acknowledged the Black actresses who paved the way for her as she accepted the honor.
Supporting acting categories saw victories for Roger Howarth and Beth Maitland, both of The Young and the Restless. Howarth, currently playing Matt Clark, won his second supporting actor award decades after his initial win in 1994. Maitland received her supporting actress trophy for Traci Abbott, a role she has originated intermittently since 1982. She dedicated her acceptance to her peers, describing daytime television as a place for relief and celebration in a chaotic world.
Genie Francis received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony held at the Hollywood Palladium. She began her role on General Hospital in 1977 at age 14. Francis, who is recovering from a broken right ankle, was assisted by her two children to the stage. Her husband, Jonathan Frakes, presented the award. Francis noted that while 50 years is a long time, the work remains engaging, though she added humor by noting that performing party scenes in high heels is hard work.
Other notable winners included Tracee Ellis Ross for travel and adventure, who thanked Morocco, Mexico, and Spain for her Roku series. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, lost in the lifestyle program category to the Prime Video documentary A Different Breed. Two talk shows no longer in production, Sherri and Kelly Clarkson, took home their respective host and series awards. The ceremony was streamed live, marking the second consecutive year the event moved away from a traditional CBS broadcast.
The event recognized a wide range of categories, from culinary hosts like Ina Garten, who won twice for Be My Guest, to emerging talent like Ambyr Michelle of Beyond the Gates. Directing honors went to Days of Our Lives on Peacock. The awards concluded a night celebrating both legacy veterans and new entrants in the daytime television industry.
