2021 Daytime Emmy Predictions: ‘Jeopardy,’ ‘General Hospital’ & More

Daytime Emmys 2021 Predictions
Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal; Credit: Jeopardy!, Inc.; ABC/Todd Wawrychuk

The A-listers of the AM are honored in a PM extravaganza — and our writers Eric Andersson, Emily Aslanian, Jim Halterman, Damian Holbrook, and Ileane Rudolph have a few predictions for this year’s Daytime Emmys.

Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show

Kelly Clarkson’s infectious enthusiasm for everyone — celebrity or average Joe — and her killer “Kellyoke” songs have landed her an Emmy as a host, but the palpable energy she elicited from a virtual audience should notch The Kelly Clarkson Show its first win.

Outstanding Game Show

Is there any doubt Jeopardy! will best its competitors for an 18th time? Cancer-stricken host Alex Trebek bravely worked until days before his death last November, and since then, a roster of guest hosts (Katie Couric, Ken Jennings, et al.) have kept the quiz show humming along.

Outstanding Culinary Host

Italian-American chef Giada De Laurentiis took this prize last year, and we’d wager she’ll do it again. Giada at Home 2.0 was the ideal pandemic pivot for the perky TV personality and a genuine joy to watch.

Alex Trebek Jeopardy Game Show

(Credit: Jeopardy!, Inc.)

Outstanding Morning Show

Emmy voters should recognize the seasoned Today team with their second trophy in a row. The quick-witted Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie excelled at keeping their mostly stuck-at-home audiences optimistic, informed, and entertained during this difficult year.

Outstanding Drama Series

All four serials delivered pulsating stories, but the “death” of ruthless mob boss Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and a climactic double wedding where nobody got hitched put General Hospital’s action above the rest.

Giada at Home Food Network

(Credit: Courtesy of Food Network)

Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress, Drama

The 2019 victor, The Bold and the Beautiful’s Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, was better than ever during an injured Steffy Forrester’s battle with painkillers. But GH’s Nancy Lee Grahn broke hearts as noble Alexis Davis fell off the wagon and landed in prison.

Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor, Drama

Evil mind control = Emmy shoo-in! GH fan fave Dominic Zamprogna should win for his convincing portrait of Dante Falconeri, the WSB agent under the thumb of Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati).

The 48th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, Friday, June 25, 8/7c, CBS