Emmy winners 2026: ‘Widow’s Bay’ and ‘The Pitt’ dominate

Emergency room drama “The Pitt” and comedy-horror “Widow’s Bay” have won television’s highest honours, the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, presented in Los Angeles.

Set in a cursed New England town, “Widow’s Bay” won the best comedy series prize on Monday, overcoming last season’s winner, “Hacks”.

Matthew Rhys, starring in “Widow’s Bay”, made history by becoming the first person to win two lead acting honours at the same ceremony. Fellow actor in the TV series, Stephen Root, won best supporting actor in a comedy, beating favourite Harrison Ford of “Shrinking”.

“Thank you, sir, for all your many years of great, great, great acting,” Root told Ford during his acceptance speech.

“Hacks” actress Jean Smart won her fifth Emmy for portraying stand-up comic Deborah Vance, making her the first actress to win the award for best lead comedy actress for every season of a show’s run. Smart has won eight Emmys overall in her acting career.

“What a ride this has been,” Smart said after receiving a standing ovation.

Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the only performer to come close to Smart’s comedy lead actress sweep, having won the award for six of the seven seasons of the political satire “Veep”.

Noah Wyle, who starred as Dr “Robby” Robinavitch on “The Pitt”, told the Emmy audience it felt overwhelming to win his second straight Emmy for best lead drama actor.

“The Pitt”, set in a Pittsburgh emergency department, won its second consecutive Emmy award for best drama series, beating fellow nominees including “Pluribus”, “Paradise” and “The Diplomat”.

“This is the only club I’ve ever wanted to join. Thank you for accepting me,” Wyle said while accepting the award.

Rhea Seehorn won best actress in a drama for playing the lone character on “Pluribus”, after being nominated twice without receiving any honours for her breakthrough role on “Better Call Saul”.

Vince Gilligan, who created “Breaking Bad” and its spin-off “Better Call Saul”, won best drama writing for “Pluribus”.

“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” won for best variety series, concluding its farewell season with six total Emmys after CBS cancelled the programme, citing financial pressures.

Colbert rejected that explanation, accusing network executives of succumbing to pressure from President Donald Trump over his frequent mockery of the administration.