The Emmy Awards return this Sunday, bringing together television’s brightest stars, acclaimed series, and exciting first-time nominees. With shows like Adolescence, The White Lotus, Severance, and The Penguin battling for top honors, this year’s ceremony promises high drama both on and off the stage. Among the most talked-about storylines is Owen Cooper, the 15-year-old breakout star of Adolescence, who could make history as the youngest male actor ever to win an Emmy.
Meanwhile, the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has added an emotional layer to the variety talk series race, with fellow hosts publicly rallying behind Colbert. From a fresh host with unusual rules to a diverse set of nominees across comedy, drama, and limited series, the 2025 Emmys are shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable yet. Here’s a complete guide on what to expect and how to watch the ceremony.Who is hosting the Emmys?This year’s host is U.S. comedian Nate Bargatze, a rising star in stand-up who has quickly become a household name across America. Known for his clean, family-friendly humor and observational comedy, Bargatze is expected to bring a light-hearted and entertaining tone to the evening. Unlike past hosts such as Ricky Gervais who leaned into controversial commentary, Bargatze is unlikely to shock the audience with risky jokes.
Interestingly, Bargatze has introduced a unique twist to the show: he announced he would pledge $100,000 to charity, but the donation amount will decrease each time a winner’s acceptance speech goes over the allotted time. His playful warning to nominees—“Is thanking your second manager worth taking food from a child?”—has already sparked buzz about how stars will handle their speeches.Which TV shows are nominated?The Emmy Awards split nominations into comedy, drama, and limited series categories. This year’s outstanding drama race is especially competitive, with no returning winner from last year. Contenders include HBO’s The White Lotus, Apple’s sci-fi thriller Severance, Disney’s Andor, dystopian series Paradise, and video game adaptation The Last of Us. Other nominees include The Diplomat, Slow Horses, and medical drama The Pitt.In the comedy category, former winners The Bear and Hacks face off again. They are joined by Abbott Elementary, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Shrinking, What We Do in the Shadows, and Hollywood satire The Studio.The limited and anthology series race is led by Adolescence, Netflix’s one-take drama that explores the effects of smartphones on teenagers. Competing against it are Black Mirror, The Penguin, Dying for Sex, and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.Record breakers and controversiesOne of the biggest storylines of the night is the potential history-making win by Owen Cooper. At 15, Cooper could become the youngest male Emmy winner in history if he secures best supporting actor in a limited series. While Roxana Zal still holds the overall record as the youngest Emmy-winning actor at 14, Cooper’s victory would mark a milestone for male performers in his category.
The acting categories are stacked with Hollywood heavyweights. Lead nominees include Cate Blanchett, Jake Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Ayo Edebiri, Jeremy Allen White, Bella Ramsey, Gary Oldman, Pedro Pascal, Michelle Williams, and Stephen Graham. Supporting actor categories feature names like Walton Goggins, Catherine O’Hara, Sam Rockwell, Jason Isaacs, Javier Bardem, Erin Doherty, and Harrison Ford.Another hot topic this year is the variety talk series race. Following CBS’s surprise cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, fellow nominees such as Jimmy Kimmel have openly campaigned for Colbert to win. A billboard in West Hollywood featuring Kimmel’s message, “I’m voting for Stephen,” highlighted the camaraderie and unusual solidarity among rivals. With Colbert’s show already picking up a Creative Arts Emmy for directing, the main ceremony could see him take home one final victory.How to watch the Emmy AwardsThe 2025 Emmy Awards will take place on Sunday at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony begins at 5:00 p.m. PT / 8:00 p.m. ET, which is 1:00 a.m. BST on Monday for UK audiences.In the United States, viewers can tune in live on CBS or stream the event via Paramount+. In the UK, no broadcaster will air the ceremony live, but the BBC News website will provide red carpet updates and live coverage of the key moments throughout the night.With over 100 categories, many awards have already been distributed during the Creative Arts Emmys, leaving only the most prestigious prizes for Sunday night. From the emotional stakes of the variety talk series to history-making potential in the acting categories, the 2025 Emmys promise to be a ceremony filled with surprises.
Meanwhile, the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has added an emotional layer to the variety talk series race, with fellow hosts publicly rallying behind Colbert. From a fresh host with unusual rules to a diverse set of nominees across comedy, drama, and limited series, the 2025 Emmys are shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable yet. Here’s a complete guide on what to expect and how to watch the ceremony.Who is hosting the Emmys?This year’s host is U.S. comedian Nate Bargatze, a rising star in stand-up who has quickly become a household name across America. Known for his clean, family-friendly humor and observational comedy, Bargatze is expected to bring a light-hearted and entertaining tone to the evening. Unlike past hosts such as Ricky Gervais who leaned into controversial commentary, Bargatze is unlikely to shock the audience with risky jokes.Interestingly, Bargatze has introduced a unique twist to the show: he announced he would pledge $100,000 to charity, but the donation amount will decrease each time a winner’s acceptance speech goes over the allotted time. His playful warning to nominees—“Is thanking your second manager worth taking food from a child?”—has already sparked buzz about how stars will handle their speeches.Which TV shows are nominated?The Emmy Awards split nominations into comedy, drama, and limited series categories. This year’s outstanding drama race is especially competitive, with no returning winner from last year. Contenders include HBO’s The White Lotus, Apple’s sci-fi thriller Severance, Disney’s Andor, dystopian series Paradise, and video game adaptation The Last of Us. Other nominees include The Diplomat, Slow Horses, and medical drama The Pitt.In the comedy category, former winners The Bear and Hacks face off again. They are joined by Abbott Elementary, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Shrinking, What We Do in the Shadows, and Hollywood satire The Studio.The limited and anthology series race is led by Adolescence, Netflix’s one-take drama that explores the effects of smartphones on teenagers. Competing against it are Black Mirror, The Penguin, Dying for Sex, and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.Record breakers and controversiesOne of the biggest storylines of the night is the potential history-making win by Owen Cooper. At 15, Cooper could become the youngest male Emmy winner in history if he secures best supporting actor in a limited series. While Roxana Zal still holds the overall record as the youngest Emmy-winning actor at 14, Cooper’s victory would mark a milestone for male performers in his category.The acting categories are stacked with Hollywood heavyweights. Lead nominees include Cate Blanchett, Jake Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Ayo Edebiri, Jeremy Allen White, Bella Ramsey, Gary Oldman, Pedro Pascal, Michelle Williams, and Stephen Graham. Supporting actor categories feature names like Walton Goggins, Catherine O’Hara, Sam Rockwell, Jason Isaacs, Javier Bardem, Erin Doherty, and Harrison Ford.Another hot topic this year is the variety talk series race. Following CBS’s surprise cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, fellow nominees such as Jimmy Kimmel have openly campaigned for Colbert to win. A billboard in West Hollywood featuring Kimmel’s message, “I’m voting for Stephen,” highlighted the camaraderie and unusual solidarity among rivals. With Colbert’s show already picking up a Creative Arts Emmy for directing, the main ceremony could see him take home one final victory.How to watch the Emmy AwardsThe 2025 Emmy Awards will take place on Sunday at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony begins at 5:00 p.m. PT / 8:00 p.m. ET, which is 1:00 a.m. BST on Monday for UK audiences.In the United States, viewers can tune in live on CBS or stream the event via Paramount+. In the UK, no broadcaster will air the ceremony live, but the BBC News website will provide red carpet updates and live coverage of the key moments throughout the night.With over 100 categories, many awards have already been distributed during the Creative Arts Emmys, leaving only the most prestigious prizes for Sunday night. From the emotional stakes of the variety talk series to history-making potential in the acting categories, the 2025 Emmys promise to be a ceremony filled with surprises. 
