2026 Emmy Award nominations revealed with Mariska Hargitay to host ceremony
The 2026 Emmy nominations have been unveiled, highlighting top contenders in reality and variety television categories. Mariska Hargitay will host the 78th annual ceremony this September.
2026 Emmy Award nominations revealed with Mariska Hargitay to host ceremony
The wait is over, and the 2026 Emmy nominations have been announced. The first two categories, Outstanding Variety Series and Outstanding Reality Competition Program, were revealed on NBC's Today show, with the rest of the nominations unveiled by Emmy winners Liza Colón-Zayas and Jeff Hiller live from the Wolf Theatre at the Television Academy's Saban Media Center.
The nominations for Outstanding Variety Series include The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, and Saturday Night Live. The Outstanding Reality Competition Program category features Dancing With the Stars, RuPaul's Drag Race, Survivor, Top Chef, and The Traitors.
Mariska Hargitay, who begins her 28th season as the star of Law & Order: SVU in the fall, will host the 2026 Emmy Awards ceremony, which will air live on Monday, September 14, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. This year's ceremony marks the 78th anniversary of the Emmy Awards, and Hargitay will be the first woman to host the awards show in 15 years, as stated by pagesix.com.
Last year's big winners included The Studio for Outstanding Comedy Series, The Pitt for Outstanding Drama Series, and Adolescence as Best Limited Series, as reported by indiewire.com.
The Television Academy received a total of 555 series submissions across the 14 major program categories for the 2026 Emmy Awards, according to goldderby.com. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards will take place on September 5 and 6, with the majority of the Emmys trophies being presented during these ceremonies.
The 2026 Emmy nominations were announced after a year of significant changes in the television industry, with the consolidation of the variety series category being one of the most notable. The category, which was previously split into scripted and talk series, will now feature a single list of nominees, with the nods being proportional to the number of submissions received for each format, as explained by hollywoodreporter.com.
As the 2026 Emmy Awards approach, fans and industry professionals alike are eagerly anticipating the ceremony, which promises to be an exciting celebration of excellence in television. With Mariska Hargitay at the helm, the 2026 Emmy Awards are sure to be a memorable event, honoring the best in television and streaming programs from the past year.
The full list of nominees for the 2026 Emmy Awards includes:
- Outstanding Reality Competition Program: Dancing With the Stars, RuPaul's Drag Race, Survivor, Top Chef, The Traitors
- Outstanding Variety Series: The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Saturday Night Live
For more information on the 2026 Emmy Awards, including the complete list of nominees and the ceremony details, visit the official Emmy Awards website or check out the Television Academy's social media channels.
The 2026 Emmy Awards will air live on Monday, September 14, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, with the Creative Arts Emmy Awards taking place on September 5 and 6. Don't miss the excitement of the 2026 Emmy Awards, as the best in television and streaming programs are honored and celebrated.
