Drew Barrymore Wins First Emmy at 2025 Daytime Emmys

Pasadena, California — Drew Barrymore won her first Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host during the 2025 Daytime Emmys held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on October 17. The event marked a significant change for Barrymore, who had been nominated multiple times since 2021 without a win. This year, she beat out notable contenders including Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson.

Barrymore expressed her gratitude to her production team in a heartfelt statement shared on Instagram prior to the awards. ‘I am endlessly grateful and so deeply proud of every single person who pours their heart into The Drew Barrymore Show,’ she wrote. ‘This has never been my show – it’s always been our show.’

While Barrymore celebrated her individual achievement, her show also won two additional awards: Outstanding Directing Team for a Multiple Camera Daytime Non-Fiction Program and Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup. However, the show’s nomination for Outstanding Daytime Talk Series was not enough, as this honor went to the winners of Live With Kelly and Mark.

In contrast, Kelly Clarkson and her show secured victories in technical categories, winning awards for Outstanding Lighting Direction and Outstanding Live Sound Mixing/Sound Editing. Clarkson did not attend the ceremony, possibly due to personal circumstances following the death of her ex-husband earlier this year.

The night also saw ABC’s General Hospital dominating with seven wins, including Outstanding Drama Series and awards for lead actress Nancy Lee Grahn and supporting actor Jonathan Jackson. At the same time, Netflix‘s Secret Lives of Orangutans collected awards, with Sir David Attenborough being recognized as the oldest winner at 99 years old.

The ceremony was hosted by Mario Lopez, who highlighted the importance of celebrating traditional television in a world increasingly focused on streaming platforms. This year’s Daytime Emmys featured several new categories and a single-ceremony format, moving away from previous years’ division into creative and main events.

As the ceremonies concluded, Barrymore emerged as a bright star, marking her place in Daytime Emmy history.