Is The Young and the Restless Poised to Win Its 12th Daytime Emmy for Best Drama Series?

For the first time since 2009, the Daytime Emmy Award for Best Drama Series features only three nominees: The Young and the Restless (Y&R), Days of Our Lives, and General Hospital (GH). After the nominations announcement on July 10, Gold Derby’s experts, editors, and users have been actively predicting winners across 24 categories, including this prestigious award. Early polls show The Young and the Restless leading the pack.

The long-running CBS soap opera, which debuted in 1973, earned a leading 19 nominations this year, compared to 16 for General Hospital and 13 for Days of Our Lives. Other eligible shows like The Bold and the Beautiful (4 nominations), The Bay, and Neighbours (1 each) were notably absent from the Best Drama Series race.

Y&R is chasing its 12th Emmy win in this category, having previously won in 1975, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1993, 2004, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2019, and 2020. General Hospital holds the record with 17 wins, including the last four consecutive victories. Days of Our Lives has claimed the award four times.

This season’s notable Y&R storylines include the murder of Heather Stevens (played by Vail Bloom), Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) supporting Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) through alcoholism, Ashley Abbott’s (Eileen Davidson) struggle with dissociative identity disorder, and young Connor Newman (Judah Mackey) facing obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Y&R also set a new show record with four nominations for Best Drama Actress: Eileen Davidson, Sharon Case (Sharon Newman), Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea Lawson), and Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers). General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn and Laura Wright round out the category.

Peter Bergman received a nomination for Best Drama Actor, marking his 25th career nod, competing against GH’s Dominic Zamprogna and Days stars Eric Martsolf, Greg Rikaart, and Paul Telfer.

Additional Y&R nominations include Courtney Hope and Susan Walters (Best Drama Supporting Actress), Michael Graziadei (Best Drama Supporting Actor), Linden Ashby and Valarie Pettiford (Best Drama Guest Performers), as well as categories recognizing writing, directing, technical achievements, casting, art direction, and costume design.

The 2025 Daytime Emmys will be awarded on October 17 — stay tuned to see if Gold Derby’s predictions hold true.