Creative Arts Emmys: Bad Bunny, Jimmy Kimmel among winners
What's the story
The 2026 Emmy Awards kicked off with the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Saturday night (local time), honoring outstanding achievements in unscripted programming. The first night of this two-night event celebrated documentaries, reality shows, game shows, variety specials, and short-form series across 49 categories. The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny snagged seven awards, while The Traitors clinched six. Here are the major winners from the event.
Major wins
Best Documentary or Nonfiction Series, Best Structured Reality Program
The documentary series Mr. Scorsese won the award for Best Documentary or Nonfiction Series.
My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay took home the award for Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special, while Tucci in Italy was named Best Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special.
The Librarians won Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking, and Antiques Roadshow was named Best Structured Reality Program.
Other winners
'Jeopardy!' and 'Love on the Spectrum' also won
Love on the Spectrum won Best Unstructured Reality Program, while Jeopardy! was named Best Game Show.
The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny won Best Variety Special (Live), Best Music Direction, and Best Directing for a Variety Special, among others.
The Muppet Show took home the award for Best Variety Special (Pre-Recorded).
Colbert Before Air was named Best Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series.
Emerging media
Best Short-Form Nonfiction or Reality Series, Best Game Show Host
Inside the Pitt was named Best Short-Form Nonfiction or Reality Series, while Uncanny Alley: A New Day won Best Emerging Media Program.
Crafting Crimes took home the award for Best Innovation in Emerging Media Programming.
Alan Cumming from The Traitors was named Best Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program, while Jimmy Kimmel from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? won Best Game Show Host.
Notable achievements
Best Narrator, Best Performer in a Short Form
Octavia Spencer from Lost Women of Alaska was named Best Narrator, while Desi Lydic from The Daily Show: Desi Lydic Foxsplains won Best Performer in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series.
Love on the Spectrum won Best Casting for a Reality Program, and The Traitors clinched Best Cinematography for a Reality Program.
The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny also won Best Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming.
Additional winners
'The Masked Singer' won Best Costumes
Ocean With David Attenborough won Best Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program, while The Masked Singer bagged Best Costumes for Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Programming.
I'm Not Remarkable by Apple was named Best Commercial.
The second night of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards will continue on Sunday, covering scripted programming and additional technical and artistic categories.
Finally, the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards will take place on September 14, 2026.