As autumn approaches, television and soap opera fans find themselves at the heart of awards season, with two of the industry’s most beloved celebrations—The Inside Soap Awards and the Creative Arts Emmys—igniting excitement on both sides of the Atlantic. September 2025 has brought a flurry of nominations, heated competitions, and a few eyebrow-raising storylines, both on and off the screen. Whether you’re a die-hard soap devotee or a comedy connoisseur, this year’s ceremonies promise twists, turns, and perhaps even a record-breaking moment or two.
Now in its 29th year, The Inside Soap Awards continues to be a fan-driven affair, giving the viewing public a chance to crown their favorites among the UK’s most iconic soaps. According to Inside Soap, while voting for most categories has wrapped up, the all-important Best Soap prize remains up for grabs until noon on Monday, September 29, 2025. And as a sweetener, voters are automatically entered into a prize draw to win a year’s subscription to Inside Soap magazine, delivered right to their doorstep. The stakes are high, and the competition is fierce.
This year’s nominations reflect a particularly dramatic period in soapland. EastEnders marked its 40th anniversary with a series of blockbuster episodes, while Coronation Street saw the Platt family facing fiery peril. Emmerdale delivered a jaw-dropping limo crash, and Hollyoaks took on the harrowing subject of teenage exploitation. Not to be outdone, soap bosses orchestrated shock comebacks—like Emmerdale’s Robert Sugden crashing Aaron Dingle’s wedding and Hollyoaks’ Clare Devine making an outrageous return from the dead. These moments, among many others, are well-represented in the nominations, which also include nods for Australian favorites Neighbours and Home and Away, as well as long-running dramas Casualty and Waterloo Road.
Fans have had their say in a wide array of categories, from Best Actress and Best Actor to Best Comic Performance, Best Villain, and Best Young Performer. The Best Soap shortlist is a battle royale among Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, and Hollyoaks. There’s also the special Soap Superstar prize, inviting fans to honor someone who’s gone above and beyond in providing entertainment over the last year. The full list of nominees reads like a who’s who of soap royalty, including Cait Fitton, Sue Devaney, Diane Parish, Lacey Turner, Jack P Shepherd, Steve McFadden, Danny Miller, Jeff Hordley, Jennifer Metcalfe, and Kieron Richardson, to name just a few.
Meanwhile, across the pond, the Creative Arts Emmys are gearing up for their own star-studded weekend, just ahead of the Primetime Emmys telecast. As reported by Vulture, the Creative Arts Emmys serve as a celebration of the craftspeople, technical wizards, and performers who bring television to life. With more than 90 categories—including a dizzying array of sound and editing awards—the ceremony honors everything from costume design to voice-over work. It’s a massive undertaking, but one that often sets the stage for the following week’s main event.
This year, the comedy series The Studio is generating serious buzz, with the potential to tie or even break the record for most Emmy wins by a comedy in a single year. The record, currently held by The Bear with 11 wins, could fall if The Studio sweeps the Creative Arts categories and nabs a few major victories at the Primetime Emmys. According to Vulture, the show’s strengths—particularly in guest acting, casting, cinematography, and editing—make it a formidable contender. Martin Scorsese, nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for playing himself on The Studio, is widely considered the favorite. The show’s parade of celebrity cameos has become a talking point, with nominees including Bryan Cranston, Dave Franco, Ron Howard, Anthony Mackie, and Zoë Kravitz, all appearing as themselves.
The Outstanding Television Movie category, meanwhile, is experiencing something of a renaissance. After years of lackluster winners, this year’s nominees—Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Peacock), The Gorge (Apple TV+), Mountainhead (HBO), Nonnas (Netflix), and Rebel Ridge (Netflix)—have critics hopeful for a return to form. Rebel Ridge, a Netflix thriller about an ex-Marine taking on corrupt small-town cops, is considered a strong contender, though HBO’s Mountainhead, with its timely themes and the pedigree of Succession creator Jesse Armstrong, could pull off an upset.
One of the more interesting trends at this year’s Creative Arts Emmys is the dominance of stand-up comedy in the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) category. All but one of the nominees are stand-up specials, featuring heavyweights like Adam Sandler, Ali Wong, Bill Burr, Sarah Silverman, and Nate Bargatze. Conan O’Brien’s Mark Twain Prize ceremony rounds out the field. Bargatze, who is also hosting the 2025 Emmys telecast, finds himself in a unique position. As Vulture notes, "the Emmys’ tastes tend to run normie, and your normie friend’s favorite comedian is probably Nate Bargatze." Whether that translates into a win remains to be seen, but the stand-up takeover is a sign of changing times at the Emmys.
Drama categories are no less competitive. The Last of Us, which swept the guest acting categories two years ago, could repeat the feat with two nominations each in Outstanding Guest Actor and Guest Actress in a Drama Series. Jeffrey Wright, Kaitlyn Dever, Catherine O’Hara, and Joe Pantoliano are all in the running, with the series’ blend of emotional storytelling and post-apocalyptic action continuing to resonate with voters. Meanwhile, Cherry Jones represents the final season of The Handmaid’s Tale, and Severance boasts nominations for Jane Alexander, Gwendoline Christie, and Merritt Wever.
Outside the acting races, the Creative Arts Emmys also shine a spotlight on behind-the-scenes talent. Taylor Sheridan’s TV empire, which has struggled to attract major Emmy attention in the past, could finally break through in technical categories for shows like 1923, Lioness, and Tulsa King. And then there’s the musical showdown between The White Lotus composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer and creator Mike White—a rivalry that could make for a memorable acceptance speech.
Even the writing categories are generating buzz, particularly with the Outstanding Variety Special (Live) category moving to the main Emmys telecast to honor Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary. A win for SNL 50 in Writing for a Variety Special would be a collective triumph for a legendary roster of comedy writers, including Tina Fey, Seth Meyers, John Mulaney, and Paula Pell.
With so much at stake and so many storylines in play, the 2025 awards season is shaping up to be one for the ages. Whether it’s a soap star’s emotional farewell, a comedy legend’s long-awaited Emmy, or a technical team’s moment in the spotlight, these ceremonies remind us why television remains such a vital part of our cultural landscape.
As the envelopes are opened and the statues handed out, fans and nominees alike can savor the drama, comedy, and sheer unpredictability that make awards season so irresistible.
