Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
The 78th Emmy Awards have concluded in Los Angeles, with “Widow’s Bay” and “The Pitt” emerging as the biggest winners at the 2026 ceremony.
The Primetime Emmy Awards, which recognise outstanding achievements in television, were held on Monday, September 14, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with actress Mariska Hargitay serving as host.
“Widow’s Bay” made Emmy history by winning 14 awards across the 2026 ceremony, including Outstanding Comedy Series, setting a new single-season record for a comedy programme. “The Pitt” retained its Outstanding Drama Series title for a second consecutive year.
The Television Academy said the 78th Emmy Awards recognised television programming and individual achievements from the 2025-2026 television season. The overall awards programme was held across three nights — September 5, September 6 and September 14.
“Widow’s Bay” makes Emmy history
Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay” was the dominant production of the 2026 awards.
The comedy series won Outstanding Comedy Series, while Matthew Rhys won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Kate O’Flynn and Stephen Root also won the supporting acting awards in the comedy categories.
The programme had already collected eight awards during the earlier Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies before winning all six of its eligible categories during the main ceremony.
Its final total of 14 awards surpassed the previous record of 13 Emmys for a comedy series, set by “The Studio” in the previous awards cycle.
The series also won for comedy directing and comedy writing, further strengthening its position as the year’s leading comedy production.
“The Pitt” retains Best Drama Series
“The Pitt” won Outstanding Drama Series for the second consecutive year, maintaining its position at the top of the television drama category.
Its leading actor, Noah Wyle, also won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
The HBO Max medical drama had entered the ceremony with 25 nominations, the highest total among drama contenders. However, its two main awards on the final night came after four earlier wins at the Creative Arts ceremonies.
Jean Smart makes Emmy history
Jean Smart won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for “Hacks”, securing her fifth consecutive Emmy in the category.
The victory gave Smart her eighth Emmy overall and made her the first woman to win the lead comedy actress award for every season of a series that ran for more than three seasons.
Her latest win also placed her among the performers tied for the record of eight Emmy acting awards, alongside Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Rhea Seehorn wins Best Drama Actress
Rhea Seehorn won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in “Pluribus”.
The award marked an important milestone for Seehorn, who had previously received significant recognition for her television work but had not won the category before.
She prevailed over a field that included Zendaya, Keri Russell, Carrie Coon and Chase Infiniti.
Matthew Rhys achieves a rare double
Matthew Rhys was one of the night’s most notable individual winners.
He won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for “Widow’s Bay” and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for “The Beast in Me”.
The double victory made Rhys the first man to win two leading acting categories at the same Emmy ceremony.
His performance was therefore central to two of the night’s major television stories.
“DTF St. Louis” wins limited series
“DTF St. Louis” took the Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series award.
The HBO production had already performed strongly during the Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies, where it won six awards.
David Harbour and Linda Cardellini also won supporting acting awards for the production during the earlier ceremony.
Full list of major 2026 Emmy winners
The principal winners from the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards are:
Outstanding Comedy Series: “Widow’s Bay”
Outstanding Drama Series: “The Pitt”
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: “DTF St. Louis”
Outstanding Lead Actor, Comedy: Matthew Rhys, “Widow’s Bay”
Outstanding Lead Actress, Comedy: Jean Smart, “Hacks”
Outstanding Lead Actor, Drama: Noah Wyle, “The Pitt”
Outstanding Lead Actress, Drama: Rhea Seehorn, “Pluribus”
Outstanding Lead Actor, Limited Series or Movie: Matthew Rhys, “The Beast in Me”
Outstanding Lead Actress, Limited Series or Movie: Sally Field, “Remarkably Bright Creatures”
Outstanding Supporting Actor, Drama: Tom Pelphrey, “Task”
Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama: Allison Janney, “The Diplomat”
Outstanding Supporting Actor, Comedy: Stephen Root, “Widow’s Bay”
Outstanding Supporting Actress, Comedy: Kate O’Flynn, “Widow’s Bay”
Outstanding Reality Competition Series: “The Traitors”
Outstanding Variety Series: “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
Outstanding Directing, Drama: Saul Metzstein, “Slow Horses”
Outstanding Directing, Comedy: Hiro Murai, “Widow’s Bay”
Outstanding Writing, Drama: Vince Gilligan, “Pluribus”
Outstanding Writing, Comedy: Katie Dippold, “Widow’s Bay”
Other notable winners
The earlier Emmy ceremonies also produced several significant victories.
David Harbour won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for “DTF St. Louis”, while Linda Cardellini won the corresponding actress category.
Betty Gilpin won Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for “Widow’s Bay”, while Ernest Harden Jr. won Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for “The Pitt”.
Rob Reiner received a posthumous Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his appearance in “The Bear”.
The variety categories also produced notable results. The “Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny” won Outstanding Variety Special (Live), while “The Muppet Show” won Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-recorded).
Michael J. Fox receives humanitarian honour
Beyond the competitive awards, actor and philanthropist Michael J. Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.
The Television Academy said the honour recognised Fox’s contributions to Parkinson’s disease research and advocacy.
Fox has spent decades using his public profile to raise awareness and funding for Parkinson’s research following his diagnosis with the disease.
Mariska Hargitay hosts the ceremony
The 2026 ceremony was hosted by Mariska Hargitay, best known internationally for her long-running role as Olivia Benson on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”.
The Television Academy said the September 14 ceremony was broadcast live on NBC and streamed through Peacock.
The main ceremony featured awards across 19 categories, while additional winners were announced during the two Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies held earlier in September.
Why the 2026 Emmy results matter
The awards provide a snapshot of the programmes and performers that shaped the American television landscape during the 2025-2026 season.
“Widow’s Bay” dominated comedy and established a new record for the most Emmy wins by a comedy series in a single season.
“The Pitt”, meanwhile, demonstrated continued strength in drama by retaining the top prize for a second consecutive year.
The results also highlighted the continued importance of individual performances, with Jean Smart, Matthew Rhys, Noah Wyle, Rhea Seehorn and Sally Field among the major acting winners.
For international audiences, including viewers across Africa, the awards also reflect the growing global reach of American television productions through streaming platforms and international distribution.
What happens next?
The 78th Emmy Awards now close the 2026 awards cycle, with the winning programmes and performers expected to remain prominent in television discussions and future production decisions.
The success of “Widow’s Bay” is likely to strengthen interest in the series, while “The Pitt” enters another phase after successfully defending its drama crown.
For the television industry, the 2026 results also underline the growing importance of streaming platforms in producing award-winning programming and competing alongside traditional television networks.
The 78th Emmy Awards ultimately produced a clear message: “Widow’s Bay” ruled comedy, “The Pitt” remained television’s leading drama, and a new group of performers and productions established themselves among the year’s most recognised names.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Television Academy — official announcement and records for the 78th Emmy Awards.
- Associated Press — complete list of winners and coverage of the 2026 Emmy Awards.
- Reuters — key winners at the 78th Emmy Awards.
- Los Angeles Times — complete 2026 Emmy Awards winners and nominees coverage.
- The Guardian — full 2026 Emmy Awards winners coverage.
