Emmy Awards 2026 live: The Pitt takes out Best Drama as Widow’s Bay wins Best Comedy Series at TV's big night

The 2026 Emmys have crowned Widow’s Bay as its new champion with the freshman series sweeping every category it was nominated in.

The horror-comedy won six gongs including best comedy series, three acting trophies for stars Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn and Stephen Root as well as writing for creator Katie Dippold and directing for Hiro Murai.

It was a decisive victory for streamer Apple TV, which won nine of out of the 19 categories awarded as part of the Primetime Emmys, having also collected victories for its sci-fi drama Pluribus (best drama actress for Rhea Seehorn, writing for a drama) and spy thriller Slow Horses (directing for a drama).

Rhys became the first double lead acting winner, first emerging victorious in the limited series lead actor race for Netflix show The Beast in Me.

The Pitt defended its title of best drama series, winning for the second year in a row, as well another consecutive victory for star and producer Noah Wyle, who won for lead drama actor for his performance as the leader of an emergency room.

Jean Smart went five for five, winning lead comedy actress for the final season of Hacks. She has won for every season of the show.

Stephen Colbert’s now cancelled series picked up a swan song Emmy in the variety race while reality show The Traitors won for the third year in a row in its category. DTF St Louis picked up best limited series.

Most of DTF’s gongs were bumped from the primetime ceremony into the Creative Arts event last week. The result of which is also the show ran short of its scheduled three-hour slot - there was an increase of ad breaks in the last hour, and final presenters Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey admitted onstage they were asked by the producers to vamp for time.

Two of the more surprising wins were in the supporting drama actor categories with Allison Janney picking up for The Diplomat and Tom Pelphrey for Task.

Australian nominees Sarah Snook (lead actress in a limited series or TV movie) and Nicole Kidman (executive producer on nominated comedy series Margo’s Got Money Troubles) both missed out.