In a star-studded event that marked the return of major awards shows since the end of the Hollywood writers' and actors' strikes, the 50th annual Daytime Emmy Awards took place on Friday night. The awards ceremony, which celebrated its golden anniversary, was a night of triumph for "General Hospital," as the long-running ABC soap opera collected six trophies, including outstanding drama series.

The lead acting honors went to Thorsten Kaye and Jacqueline MacInnes Wood of "The Bold and the Beautiful." However, Kaye, who plays Ridge Forrester on the CBS soap, was not present to accept the award. His co-star, John McCook, last year's lead actor winner, jokingly mentioned that Kaye would have thanked him for his support. MacInnes Wood, on the other hand, was overwhelmed with excitement as she collected her third trophy for her role as Steffy Forrester, the daughter of Ridge. She expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the show.

“General Hospital” continued its dominance throughout the night, with executive producer Frank Valentini dedicating their outstanding drama series win to Sonya Eddy and N'Neka Garland. Eddy, who won the supporting actress honors, tragically passed away in December 2022 due to an infection after surgery. She was known for her role as the no-nonsense head nurse Epiphany Johnson on the show. Garland, a producer at “General Hospital” for 22 years, lost her life to a heart attack in March at the age of 49.

Robert Gossett, who portrays Marshall Ashford on "General Hospital," claimed the supporting actor trophy. This marked his second win in the guest performer category for the same role. Eden McCoy, a 20-year-old actor who debuted on “General Hospital” in 2015, won for outstanding younger performer as Josslyn Jacks. McCoy dedicated her win to her late mother, Natasha McCoy, who lost her battle with cancer in November.

Alley Mills, best known for her role as the mother on "The Wonder Years," won for her guest performance on a daytime drama. Mills began playing Heather Webber on “General Hospital” after the role was recast last year. Her husband, actor Orson Bean, tragically lost his life in 2020 after being struck by two cars while crossing a street in Los Angeles. Mills reflected on the personal trauma she experienced during that time and how playing a character who is also traumatized helped her find the strength to keep moving forward.

In addition to the acting awards, “General Hospital” also won for its directing team. The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Honor was bestowed upon Susan Lucci for her iconic 40-year run as Erica Kane on "All My Children." Lucci, who had been nominated 18 times in the lead actress category before finally winning in 1999, was greeted with a standing ovation as she received the award. Shemar Moore, who famously shouted, "The streak is over!" when presenting her with the trophy, returned to introduce her.

"The Young and the Restless" was honored for its outstanding writing team, while Kelly Clarkson earned her third consecutive trophy for a daytime talk series and won as daytime talk host. Clarkson, who wasn't in attendance, expressed her gratitude to her viewers for sticking with her show during its move from Los Angeles to New York.

“Entertainment Tonight” also had reason to celebrate, as it won its eighth trophy for outstanding entertainment news series. Hosts Kevin Frazier and Nichelle Turner, who were already in the audience, came forward to accept the award. The ceremony itself took place in a ballroom at the Westin Bonaventure hotel in downtown Los Angeles, with attendees seated at socially distanced tables to ensure safety.

Overall, the 50th annual Daytime Emmy Awards was a night filled with triumph, heartfelt speeches, and a celebration of the talent and resilience within the daytime television industry.