“Tears, Bold Statements, and Shocking Wins: What Really Happened After the 2025 Daytime Emmy Awards”
ABC’s General Hospital swept the 2025 Daytime Emmys with 7 awards, while Drew Barrymore, Live with Kelly and Mark, and Joanna and Chip Gaines all won big.
ABC’s General Hospital has swept the 2025 Daytime Emmys, a ceremony which whizzed by, ending ten minutes early, and was an evening of tears, triumphs, and a rallying cry to an industry battling AI, job losses, and the fear of political suppression.
There were several moments throughout that saw presenters and winners speak in non-English languages while Deborah Norville, the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, called on producers and executives not to listen to “data and surveys, as the ceremony ended with a visibly nervous Nancy Lee Grahn calling for everyone to “show up, stand up, and speak up for human decency and democracy.”
General Hospital scooped seven awards including Outstanding Drama Series, and three acting awards for Alley Mills, who picked up Outstanding Guest Performance in a Drama Series for her work as Heather Webber, Jonathan Jackson, who won his sixth Emmy for his work as Lucky Spencer, and Nancy Lee Grahn, who won the final acting award of the evening and had the crowd on their feet with her passionate speech.
The Young and the Restless had led the soap nominations with 19 across various categories, but it only scooped one award; Susan Walters picked up her first-ever Emmy after 43 years working as a soap actress.
Drew Barrymore won for Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host, while Live with Kelly and Mark won Outstanding Daytime Talk Series, and Joanna and Chip Gaines’ Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse won Outstanding How-To Program.
Former Inside Edition host Deborah was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and she recognized the “irony” of the award as she begins an “exciting new chapter” as a game show host. Keep reading for all the best moments, and all the winners.
Nancy Lee Grahn won her second Emmy for her role on General Hospital, and used her moment to call for everyone to stand up for democracy.
“Along with this job comes a literal soap box, and my parents would be very disappointed in me if I don’t use it right now to speak out for other people,” said a visibly nervous Nancy.
“Our democracy is worth fighting for, the people in it are worth caring about, and whether you have a soapbox or not, now is the time to show up, stand up, and speak up for human decency and democracy.”
© Variety via Getty ImagesJonathan Jackson gets choked up
As General Hospital star Jonathan Jackson picked up his sixth Emmy, he became very emotional.
“I am very humbled to be up here, and overwhelmed,” he began, continuing: “First of all, I want to thank Father, Son and Holy Spirit for grace and mercy.”
He then thanked his writers and castmates, before choking up as he said: “And I especially want to thank Genie Francis, I owe you a debt of love that I will never be able to repay.”
Genie returned to the soap in 2024, reprising the role of Laura Spencer, Jonathan’s on-screen mother. It was the first time they had appeared together on screen in over 10 years.
Jonathan exited the show earlier this summer in a surprise decision by bosses.
© CBS via Getty ImagesSusan Walters’ emotional speech
Susan Walters won her first Emmy at the ceremony for her work on The Young & The Restless as Diane Jenkins, and it was clearly an emotional moment for the longtime actress.
“Peter Bergman told me I better maybe have something to say, and I don’t,” she laughed as she accepted the award.
“But in 30 seconds: Michael Mealor and Peter, I would not be up here without you, you are the most generous scene partners I have ever worked with.”
She continued: “This is the toughest medium and I can say that with 43 years of doing this, and Josh Griffiths, when you brought Diane back to life, you gave me life, and that seems crazy, but you gave me a new life!”
Diane was killed off in 2012 and returned in 2022.
