Emmys 2026: Widow's Bay wins 14 as Colbert bows out on top
Widow's Bay took 14 Primetime Emmys and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert closed its final season with the prize for outstanding variety series at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 14.
The ceremony was presented at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live and hosted by Mariska Hargitay, who became the first woman to host the show in 15 years, according to Billboard. The main telecast followed two nights of Creative Arts Emmys, where technical, guest and short-form categories are decided.
Fourteen wins. That total made Widow's Bay the top recipient across all three nights. It also set a new record for the most wins in a single season by a comedy series, and for the most wins in a freshman season by a comedy series.
The Apple series entered the year with 19 nominations, listed on the official nominees database. It won eight trophies at the Creative Arts Emmys before adding six more on the main night, according to Gold Derby. The show ran for seven episodes from April 29 to June 17, 2026.
Colbert's farewell also led its field. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert won six Emmys for its final season, the most it has won in any one season. The haul included outstanding variety series on Monday night and Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series, confirmed in the Emmys database.
Four other programmes finished close behind the leaders with seven wins each. The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny, DTF St. Louis, The Pitt and The Traitors each collected seven awards across the Primetime Emmys.
The Creative Arts nights spread the remaining prizes widely. Hargitay was among the winners there, as was Rob Reiner, according to Entertainment Weekly. Octavia Spencer won for narrating Lost, and The Muppet Show took the variety special category, according to Deadline.
What makes this stand out for fans is the maths. Widow's Bay converted 19 nominations into 14 wins. Colbert's team turned a goodbye season into six trophies. And four very different shows — a halftime spectacular, two dramas and a competition format — ended the week level on seven apiece.
