Daytime Emmys Update: Guess Who’s Getting a Better Seat Than the Nominees?

This one is for the fans. The 42nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards—hosted by Tyra Banks and airing live on cable channel Pop (formerly TV Guide Network)—will, as always, honor the best in soaps, kiddie programming, and courtroom, game, talk, and food shows. But the best seats in the house will go to those who usually watch this trophy derby from the couch at home.

“We’re giving 150 fans the opportunity to be inside the Daytime Emmy ceremony with their favorite stars—in fact, those fans will be sitting right on the stage,” says the broadcast’s executive producer Michael Levitt, creator of the fan-friendly TV Land Awards. “It will bring a lot of incredible energy to the event—something that’s been missing in recent years—and the daytime stars will really feel the love.” What’s more, says Schwartz, “one fan will be selected to present an award during the broadcast, alongside a big soap heartthrob. He’s going to knock on that person’s door at home and invite her to the show.”

The ceremony, taking place on the Warner Bros. Studios lot in Burbank, will also be peppered with several special awards—voted on by the fans—including Most Shocking Sexcapade, Biggest Wedding Disaster, Favorite Villain, Most Romantic Duo, and Best Bitch Slap.

The annual Lifetime Achievement Emmy—always an emotional highlight—goes to Betty White, who seems to pick up a piece of honorary hardware every 10 minutes. “This one will be a lot of fun and very different,” promises Levitt. “It will include a round of Betty’s favorite game show, Password, which was hosted by her late husband, Allen Ludden. It will played live on stage by a panel of her famous friends.”

Waning interest in the awards has resulted in many no-shows—most notably nominees and winners in the various morning and talk-show categories. Pop president Brad Schwartz expects to reverse that. “The lack of attendance in recent years has been a real letdown but, this year, enthusiasm from the daytime community is really high,” Schwartz says. “There will be a lot of top-level talent in the room.”

Thus far, there is no deal in place to stream the Daytime Emmys for those who don’t get Pop, but Schwartz notes that 80 percent of U.S. homes do receive the channel. “We’re always hearing from people who don’t think they get Pop when, in fact, they do,” says the exec. (To find out if your cable company carries it, use the channel finder at PopTV.com).

Will there be a red-carpet pre-show? Schwartz had initially hoped to air one but that idea has been nixed—and not because last year’s pre-show was such a racist and sexist social-media nightmare. (Ryan Paevey and Lawrence Saint-Victor, it’s safe for you to return!)

“We want to put our full focus and financial resources into the ceremony and produce the greatest damn Daytime Emmy show ever,” Schwartz says. “Next year, we’ll invest in a pre-show. Right now, it’s important to remind everyone just how great these awards can be and how they deserve wonderful treatment.”

The 42nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards air Sunday, April 26, 8/7c (5 pm/PT) on Pop.