The 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards will put soaps, talk shows, legal programming and food television in the spotlight on Friday, October 30, with a free streaming ceremony beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Pacific.

This year’s event will not air on conventional television. Instead, viewers can watch through the official Emmy Awards website, the official Emmys app or the Emmys YouTube channel.

How to Watch the 2026 Daytime Emmys

The official website and app both require viewers to create an account, but neither option requires a cable provider or paid subscription. The YouTube stream offers an alternative for audiences who do not want to register for an account, and the full ceremony will be shown there.

All three options are free. Supported viewing devices include computers, phones, tablets, smart TVs, external smart TV devices such as Chromecast, and Apple TV devices.

Because the ceremony is not being televised, viewers will not be able to find it through the live-channel sections of internet-based TV services including Sling TV, Fubo and YouTube TV. The Daytime Emmys were last shown on conventional television in 2024, when CBS carried the event.

The length of the 2026 show has not been announced. There will once again be no separate Creative Arts Emmys ceremony, however, meaning those awards will be incorporated into the main presentation. With the full slate consolidated into one event, the ceremony is expected to run at least a couple of hours, although an official runtime remains unconfirmed.

A New Venue and a Different Hosting Format

The ceremony is moving into the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California, marking the first time the Daytime Emmys have been staged at that venue.

The event began broadcasting from New York City in the 1970s and remained there through the 1980s, 1990s and the first half of the 2000s. The 33rd annual ceremony moved to Los Angeles’ Kodak Theatre in 2006, the first edition held outside New York.

After several years in Los Angeles and a brief period in Las Vegas, the awards returned to the Los Angeles area, using locations including Pasadena and Beverly Hills. The exceptions were the 2020 and 2021 ceremonies, which were held virtually because of COVID-19.

There will also be a significant change at the front of the show. Rather than employing a traditional onstage host, the ceremony will use Matthew Hoffman as its offstage “Voice of God.” Hoffman, the narrator of “Cheap A$$ Beach Houses,” will announce and comment on the proceedings while presenters, nominees and winners physically lead the program.

The approach follows Mario Lopez’s solo hosting turn last year, his fourth time hosting the Daytime Emmys overall and his first without a co-host. Lopez had previously shared hosting duties with Sheryl Underwood. Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner led the ceremonies in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Presenters scheduled for the 2026 event include Susan Walters, Paul Telfer, Tamara Tunie, Crystal Chappell and Eva LaRue, among others. The lineup includes a number of previous Daytime Emmy winners and nominees.

Soaps Lead the Nominations

“The Young and the Restless” enters the ceremony with a field-leading 18 nominations, making it the most-nominated soap at the Daytime Emmys for the third consecutive year.

“Beyond the Gates” follows with 15 nominations, while “General Hospital” has 13. “Days of Our Lives” earned eight nominations, and “The Bold and the Beautiful” received seven.

One of the evening’s confirmed honorees is “General Hospital” star Genie Francis, who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. The recognition comes after nearly 50 years with the show, where she has played Laura Spencer, also known as Laura Collins.

ShowBiz Take

The 2026 Daytime Emmys are pairing a broad celebration of daytime programming with two notable changes: a first-time Hollywood Palladium setting and a fully streaming distribution plan. Making the ceremony free through the Emmys’ own platforms and YouTube gives viewers several direct ways to watch, even as the absence of a conventional television broadcast changes the familiar viewing routine.

The host-free stage format also places more emphasis on the people receiving and presenting the awards. With Hoffman handling announcements from offstage and the Creative Arts categories folded into the same ceremony, this year’s production is positioned as one continuous showcase for the performers and programs competing across daytime television.

What Happens Next?

The winners will be revealed during the October 30 stream beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Pacific. Viewers using the official website or app should create an account before the ceremony, while the Emmys YouTube channel provides the account-free option.