Emmys Night 2: 'The Pitt' Host Noah Wyle, a First Legacy Award for 'I Love Lucy,' and Five Categories Moved Off the Main Telecast
The Television Academy handed out 53 categories at its second Emmy night on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at the Peacock Theatre in downtown Los Angeles — and the host was already a headline. Noah Wyle, star of the medical drama The Pitt, presided over the ceremony as the most-nominated series of the entire 2026 Emmy field, with 25 nominations across both nights (Variety).
The Academy has dropped the "Creative Arts" label entirely. All three Emmy ceremonies — the two weekend nights and the September 14 NBC telecast — are now referred to simply as "the Emmys" (Variety). The change brings a name that long felt like a second tier in line with the Academy's actual calendar: over 100 awards were distributed across the two weekend ceremonies before the primetime show even begins (The Hollywood Reporter).
Night 2 was mostly scripted territory, covering drama casting, music and lyrics, and guest performances. The Pitt was in the mix for drama casting, music and lyrics, guest drama actor (Ernest Harden Jr. and Jeff Kober), and guest drama actress (Brittany Allen, Tal Anderson and Tina Ivlev) (Variety).
Five categories that used to sit on the main NBC telecast were moved to Night 2 to free up airtime: writing for a variety series, supporting actor and actress in a limited series or movie, directing for a limited series or movie, and writing for a limited series or movie. That shift means major acting prizes now change hands off the primetime stage for the first time (The Hollywood Reporter).
The ceremony also made history with a brand-new honour. The Academy presented its first-ever Legacy Award to I Love Lucy, recognising television programmes that have made a lasting impact on audiences and remain relevant to society, culture and the industry. The Special Awards committee — formerly the Governors Award committee — selects candidates annually, and the Board of Governors votes on the entries. The Academy had announced on August 25, 2026, that the sitcom would receive the inaugural prize (Variety).
Saturday's Night 1, held September 5, centred on unscripted categories and produced its own set of top finishers. The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny led the pack with seven wins, including one for the performer himself. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Traitors, Love on the Spectrum, The Muppet Show and My Mom Jayne each took home multiple prizes (The Hollywood Reporter).
The Traitors host Alan Cumming extended his winning streak in the best reality host category (The Hollywood Reporter). Mariska Hargitay, set to host the September 14 primetime telecast, picked up two wins tied to her documentary My Mom Jayne (The Hollywood Reporter).
Neither weekend ceremony was televised live. Both nights are edited into a single broadcast scheduled to air on FXX on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 8:00 PM ET/PT, with streaming on Hulu to follow (Television Academy; Emmys.com).
The primetime Emmys follow on September 14, broadcast live on NBC and streaming on Peacock (Variety). The Pitt's 25 nominations lead the field, with Hacks close behind at 24 — a comedy-series nomination record — followed by Widow's Bay at 19, Pluribus at 18 and Beef at 16 (The Hollywood Reporter).
