The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) has announced this year's Lifetime Achievement Honorees -- and this year's honorees are a husband and wife who have made their mark in daytime television for a collective 93 years.
Daytime Emmy Award-nominated star of The Young and the Restless Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki Newman), and daytime television producer Edward J. Scott will be honored at the 51st Annual Daytime Emmys ceremony on June 7.
"We've long wanted to honor the legendary daytime duo of Melody Thomas Scott and her husband Edward J. Scott. With a combined 93 years of contributions to our community, they are true institutions in the world of Daytime television," Adam Sharp, President and CEO, NATAS, said in a statement.
"We are honored and humbled to receive this recognition from NATAS. Throughout our decades-long careers in front of and behind the cameras, we have had the opportunity to work not only with each other, but also with an incredibly talented pool of people who excel in their crafts and are passionate about the art we create in daytime television," Melody Thomas Scott and Edward J. Scott shared. "We are grateful to have worked side by side with them and to be included with such esteemed recipients who have made their mark in our industry. We look forward to spending another wonderful evening celebrating the daytime community!"
Melody Thomas Scott, who recently marked the 45th anniversary of her first appearance on The Young and the Restless, began her career at age three. She studied singing, tap dancing, ballet, and jazz and became one of the world-famous "Meglin Kiddies," performing in USO shows as she started booking national commercials and guest spots on such series as Wagon Train, My Three Sons, Ironside, and a recurring role on The Waltons. Scott made her motion picture debut at age eight when she was cast by Alfred Hitchcock as the young Tippi Hedren in the thriller Marnie. A lifelong fan of I Love Lucy, Scott served as a founding member of the Board of Directors for the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center in Jamestown, NY, which is committed to preserving the legacy of the great comedienne. In 2020, Scott released her memoir, Always Young and Restless. Scott received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1999.
Edward J. Scott is a six-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning producer who has played a pivotal role in the soap opera genre for nearly five decades. Scott is currently supervising producer for The Bold and the Beautiful. Scott began his association with the Bell family and Bell-Phillip Television Productions when he joined The Young and The Restless as an associate producer in 1976. He quickly moved up the ranks and served as the show's executive producer for decades. Scott's legendary 48-year producing partnership and creative collaboration with The Young and The Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful creators, the late William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell, and their son, Bradley P. Bell, has helped create the two most popular daily American television series. Before joining B&B, Scott was executive producer for the NBC daytime drama Days of our Lives. Born and raised in Santa Monica, California, Scott earned a BA from California State University at Northridge with a double major of anthropology and broadcasting journalism.
Edward J. and Melody Thomas Scott have been married since 1985. They have three daughters and five grandchildren.
This will be just the third time that a husband and wife have been honored at the same time with Lifetime Achievement Awards. In 2018, Bill and Susan Seaforth Hayes, long-running actors on Days of our Lives, receive the honors. In 1995, Ted and Betty Corday, co-creators of Days of our Lives, were honored.
Public television host and cookbook author Lidia Bastianich will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmys Creative Arts ceremony on June 8.
"It is a tremendous honor to be recognized and receive the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award for having shared my passion for food with TV audiences for over 25 years," Lidia Bastianich said. "Cooking together and sharing food remain a common denominator of all cultures. Food nurtures, it connects diverse people, and it brings families, friends, and strangers together. There is no better place to be on this earth, especially in these trying times, than sharing food at a table with others. That simple idea has been the basis of my life's work. Hence, as I say in my shows, 'Tutti a Tavola a Mangiare!' Mille Grazie to NATAS for this honor."
Lidia Bastianich is a Daytime Emmy award-winning public television host, best-selling cookbook author, successful restaurateur, celebrated chef and owner of a flourishing food and entertainment business. Among the numerous awards and accolades Bastianich has earned include seven James Beard Awards (Outstanding Chef; Television Food Show; Best Chefs in America; Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America; Specials in 2016, 2017, and 2018) and two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Culinary Host (2013 and 2018). In 2022 Bastianich received the Silver Award from APT for 25 years on public television.
The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will broadcast LIVE Friday, June 7 (8:00 to 10:00 PM, ET/delayed PT), on the CBS Television Network and will be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.
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