The 78th Emmy Awards have officially kicked off, with the Television Academy honouring the best in television’s creative and technical categories. Night 1 of the Creative Arts Emmys, held at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, celebrated the talented artists and craftspeople behind popular variety, reality and nonfiction shows. From cinematography, casting and editing to costumes and hosting, several deserving names took home the coveted award. Here’s a look at the winners who emerged victorious on Night One of the 78th Emmy Awards.
Emmy Awards 2026 Winners – Night 1
Outstanding Performer in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series: Desi Lydic
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program: Alan Cumming, The Traitors
Outstanding Host for a Game Show: Jimmy Kimmel, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Outstanding Narrator: Octavia Spencer, Lost Women of Alaska: The Missing
Outstanding Production Design for a Variety or Reality Series: The Traitors
Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special: The Muppet Show
Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program: Love on the Spectrum
Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program: Ocean With David Attenborough
Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program: The Traitors
Outstanding Commercial: I’m Not Remarkable, Apple
Outstanding Costumes for Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Programming: The Masked Singer; The Traitors
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series: Yvonne De Mare, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program: Mariska Hargitay, My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay
Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program: The Traitors
Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming: The Muppet Show
Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment): The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program: Sean Combs: The Reckoning
Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program: The Traitors
Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program: Love on the Spectrum
Outstanding Emerging Media Program: Uncanny Alley: A New Day
Outstanding Innovation in Emerging Media Programming: Crafting Crimes
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program: RuPaul’s Drag Race
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Series: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program: Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary/Nonfiction or Reality Program: John Candy: I Like Me
Outstanding Music Direction: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Variety Special (Live): The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): The Muppet Show
Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: Colbert Before Air
Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series: Inside The Pitt
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special: My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series: Mr. Scorsese
Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special: Tucci in Italy
Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking: The Librarians
Outstanding Structured Reality Program: Antiques Roadshow
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program: Love on the Spectrum
Outstanding Game Show: Jeopardy!
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program: Ocean With David Attenborough
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program: Billy Joel: And So It Goes
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Reality Program: Welcome to Wrexham
Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special: The Muppet Show
Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program: The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse – Give the Man a Prize
Legacy Award: I Love Lucy
The first night featured presenters from some of television’s biggest shows. Now, the second night is set to follow.