The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) announced Thursday the 2026 Gold & Silver Circle Inductees, who will be celebrated at “The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards,” taking place Friday, October 30, at the historic Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, CA.
This year’s honorees include Byron Allen (Founder, Chairman & CEO, Allen Media Group), Patrika Darbo (Performer: “Days of our Lives,” “The Bold and the Beautiful”), Francesca James (Actor / Director/ Executive Producer: “All My Children”) and Meredith Vieira (Host / Executive Producer; CEO, Meredith Vieira Productions: “25 Words or Less,” “The View”) for the Gold Circle, while Stephen Brown (EVP Programming and Development, Fox Television Stations) and Rubin Ervin (Announcer/ Warm-up Host) are being recognized in the Silver Circle.
According to the organization, Gold & Silver Circle inductees are among an esteemed group of industry leaders and professionals who have made indelible contributions across daytime television, including daytime dramas, talk shows, comedy, and more, for 50 (Gold) and 25 (Silver) years, respectively. “Inductees are exceptional professionals who have performed distinguished service within the television industry, setting standards for achievement, mentoring, leadership, and professional accolades,” notes NATAS.
In a statement, Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS, said, “This year’s Gold & Silver honorees are recognized for their continued exceptional contributions to our television industry.” He added, “We are proud to honor a class of honorees from diverse career paths across many daytime genres. Their impact is evident in programming every day, inspiring generations and enriching the lives of countless viewers.”
The ceremony, which is scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on October 30, will encompass all categories, including creative arts, with “The Young and the Restless” leading all shows with 18 nominations, followed by “Beyond the Gates” with 15, “General Hospital” with 13, “Days of our Lives” with eight, and “The Bold and the Beautiful” with seven.
Presented as a single ceremony, “The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” is being produced by NATAS Productions. Adam Sharp and Lara Gates are executive producers, with Leon Knoles returning to direct for a fifth straight year. Rachel Schwartz serves as Head of Daytime, and the firm of Lutz & Carr, LLP, provides accounting services for the competition
As previously reported, this year’s ceremony will stream live on the NATAS YouTube channel at YouTube.com/@theemmys and watch.TheEmmys.tv.
The Daytime Emmy Awards on YouTube marks the fourth time this year that NATAS has streamed an Emmy Awards telecast on the service, starting with “The 47th Annual Sports Emmy Awards” and the multi-night presentation of “The 47th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards” in May.
No television provider will be required, as viewers at home can access the telecast for free across a multitude of devices, including mobile, Smart TVs, Apple TV, Roku, Android TV, Fire TV, Chromecast, iPhone, iPad, and Android, among others.
Since 1974, the Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts, honoring work in a variety of genres, including daytime dramas, talk series, entertainment news, culinary, adventure, instructional, and legal/courtroom programming.