There's no bigger night in daytime than the Daytime Emmy Awards, and it looks like the annual celebration will once again be held virtually. Today, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) announced that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it plans to hold off on an in-person ceremony in 2021 and will once again present the awards show in a virtual fashion.
In an official press release, NATAS reveals that fans can look forward to the announcement of Emmy nominations in May or June of 2021, with the virtual ceremony taking place in June or July of 2021. For that latter, the organization is considering a variety of two- and three-night formats for virtual ceremonies, across combinations of currently considered dates Friday, June 25; Saturday, July 17; and Sunday, July 18.
"This awful pandemic has taken from us cherished friends and loved ones, left many more without meaningful income, and forever transformed how we think about our workplaces and public gatherings. Like many of you, we hunger for a return to some semblance of normalcy," reads an official NATAS post. "The latest news on multiple vaccines nearing approval is promising. For us, it is an encouraging sign that the ultimate 'normal' -- a return to in-person ceremonies -- may be on the horizon."
However, as the NATAS post reads, "The current timetables articulated by manufacturers project mass availability of vaccinations for the entire U.S. population by mid-summer 2021, potentially permitting a return to more traditional in-person ceremonies later in the fall. However, we have determined that delaying our 2021 events to possibly allow for a compressed calendar of in-person Emmy ceremonies late in the year would result in unacceptable delays to our awards cycle for 2022. We've decided to remain 'virtual' for our ceremonies in 2021 while relying on a substantially pre-COVID awards calendar. In so doing, we believe we will be best-positioned to return to a traditional schedule of in-person ceremonies in 2022."
The press release concludes with the reveal that despite being born of unintended necessity, NATAS' 2020 ceremonies proved to be among its best. "We hope to build on this creative success in making the 2021 virtual gatherings even more inclusive and engaging celebrations of excellence... As for 2022, we've already started booking venues and can't wait to welcome you back in person!"
For more information about NATAS' plans for the 2021 Daytime Emmy Awards, check out the organization's official website.
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