Daytime Emmy Awards Ceremony Canceled Amidst The Coronavirus Pandemic
The Daytime Emmy Awards for 2020 has been canceled this year due too the coronavirus pandemic. All four remaining soap operas — including The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, General Hospital, and Days of Our Lives — have temporarily ceased production. Plus, daytime talk shows and news shows have either shut down or adjusted their formats to practice social distancing, as recommended by the CDC to help reduce the spread of the virus.
Although so many things experienced cancelations recently, the news still came as a blow to those who participate in daytime television as well as those who love watching it.
The Bold and the Beautiful writer Michele Val Jean took to Twitter to relay the news to everybody.
“Wow. The @DaytimeEmmys are canceled,” she tweeted, along with a crying emoji.
The writer also noted that an email went out to all the Academy members. Many fans replied, expressing their sadness at the situation while also expressing that they understood it was necessary given the COVID-19 situation.
For once, the ladies of @TheRealDaytime (@LoniLove, @AdrienneBailon, @TameraMowryTwo & @jeanniemai) were at a loss for words! In celebration of The Real’s 1,000th episode, let’s look back on the co-hosts’ emotional Daytime Emmy win in 2018. pic.twitter.com/cXZ0u4rRYM
— Daytime Emmys (@DaytimeEmmys) February 19, 2020
“It’s a shame that it has to happen, but it does. There are some actors that put there all into the part & stories they are written, to be recognized & rewarded for your effort is a wonderful thing. Hopefully, they will be able to vote and award off-screen and post congratulatory ads,” replied one.
TV Line reported that the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) is looking for an alternative to celebrate the winners in light of the decision to have no ceremony.
“There are just too many unknowns right now, not the least of which is whether we would actually be permitted to stage an event in June involving more than one thousand live participants,” NATAS chairman Terry O’Reilly said on Thursday in a message to members. “With deadlines to make significant financial commitments upon us, it seems irresponsible to move forward as we have in the past.”
O’Reilly’s message urged people to watch for details in the weeks to come for how Daytime Emmy Awards recipients will be honored.
This year’s ceremony, which NATAS hosts, was set to be The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, and it was scheduled to be divided into three shows. June 12 was tentatively set for the Daytime Creative Arts Emmys ceremony, and then the others would have taken place on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14. Those dates were already later than they were in previous years as the event often happens near the end of April or beginning of May.
According to SheKnows Soaps, this year, NATAS chose not to announce the annual pre-nominations before revealing the nominees in each category.
