Daytime Emmy Awards 2026 Announces Star-Studded Presenter Line-Up Featuring Soap Favourites
Genie Francis receives the Lifetime Achievement Award as soap stars past and present are named among the presenters for the 53rd Daytime Emmys on 30 October.
The presenters for the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards have been revealed, and soap fans will spot plenty of familiar faces when the ceremony takes place at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on Friday 30 October.
The line-up, announced on 22 October, blends stars from today's American soaps with names from shows that left the air years ago.
Among the current soap contingent, General Hospital's Katelyn MacMullen, who plays Willow, will be handing out an award. She is joined by Delon de Metz, Zende in The Bold and the Beautiful, Paul Telfer, Xander in Days of our Lives, and Susan Walters, Diane in The Young and the Restless.
James Preston of The Bay is also on the bill, as is Tamara Tunie, Anita in Beyond the Gates, who will have more than presenting on her mind as she is herself up for Outstanding Lead Actress.
There is a strong nostalgic strand to the list as well. Crystal Chappell of Guiding Light, Lesli Kay of As the World Turns, Joe Lando of One Life to Live, Eva LaRue of All My Children, A Martinez of Santa Barbara, Juliet Mills of Passions and Alicia Leigh Willis of Another World will all take to the stage.
LaRue has a personal interest in the evening too, because she is nominated for Outstanding Guest Performer for her role as Natalia Ramirez in General Hospital.
Away from the soaps, the presenters include The View's Sunny Hostin, Keke Palmer, Star Jones, Judge Greg Mathis, Derek Hough, Andrew Zimmern and Entertainment Tonight's Nischelle Turner.
One of the most personal moments of the night belongs to General Hospital. Genie Francis, who plays Laura, is receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, and it will be presented to her by her husband, Jonathan Frakes.
The contest for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series is where much of the interest lies. General Hospital, Beyond the Gates, Days of our Lives and The Young and the Restless are the four nominees, and the match-up between ABC's long-running hospital drama and CBS's newcomer has caught the attention of the American awards press, with GoldDerby billing it as a showdown.
Beyond the Gates, which follows the Dupree family and is filmed in Atlanta, is competing on the strength of its first season, yet it was one of the most nominated shows of the year when the shortlist was unveiled in July.
The newcomer's strength runs through the acting categories as well. Tunie and Karla Mosley, who plays Dani Dupree, are both shortlisted for Outstanding Lead Actress, where they face Stacy Haiduk of Days of our Lives, Michelle Stafford of The Young and the Restless and Heather Tom of The Bold and the Beautiful.
General Hospital's Steve Burton carries the show's hopes in Outstanding Lead Actor for his role as Jason Morgan, up against Eric Braeden, Scott Clifton, Thorsten Kaye and Christian Jules Le Blanc.
Fans in the UK who want to follow the night will need to look online rather than to their television.
The ceremony streams live on the Emmys' YouTube channel, at watch.theemmys.tv and on the official Emmys app. It is another sign of awards shows moving away from traditional broadcasts, a shift SoaplandTV also covered when the Emmys announced their streaming shake-up.
No host has been named yet. Whether General Hospital holds its ground or Beyond the Gates turns a remarkable debut year into the top prize, the answer arrives on 30 October, when the winners are revealed live on the Emmys' streaming platforms.
