It’s awards show season, and the Writers Guild Awards nominations are out. The annual celebration honors the best in screenwriting. The daytime drama category features only three of the five existing broadcast and streaming soaps. Winners will be announced in New York and Los Angeles ceremonies on Sunday, March 8.
Key Takeaways
- The Writers Guild Awards nominations have been announced — the WGA Awards recognize the best in screenwriting.
- Three out of the five current soaps scored nominations in the Daytime Drama category.
- Winners will be revealed during the Sunday, March 8 ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles.
The Rookie Soap Joins Two of Daytime’s Biggest Competitors
This week, when the nominations were announced, three out of the five current soaps were recognized: Last year’s WGA Awards winner, The Young and the Restless. General Hospital, a show that last won in 2019. And the new kid on the daytime drama block, Beyond the Gates, continues its groundbreaking run. The news comes on the heels of BTG scoring an NAACP Image Award nod.
Here is the breakdown of the talented writers who earned nominations;
Y&R: Associate Head Writers: Jeff Beldner, Marla Kanelos, Dave Ryan; Writers: Susan Banks, Amanda L. Beall, Marin Gazzaniga, Rebecca McCarty, Madeleine Phillips; CBS/Paramount +
GH: Head Writers: Elizabeth Korte, Chris Van Etten; Writers: Cathy LePard, Emily Culliton, Nigel Campbell, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Kate Hall, Stacey Pulwer, Ryan Quan, Louise Rozett, Scott Sickles, Micah Steinberg; ABC
BTG: Writers: Sara A. Bibel, Jazmen Darnell Brown, Ron Carlivati, Susan Dansby, Cheryl L. Davis, Christopher Dunn, Robert Guza Jr., Gregori J. Martin, Lynn Martin, Danielle Paige, Judy Tate, Michele Val Jean, Teresa Zimmerman; CBS
The Celebration Begins
BTG head writer and executive producer, Michele Val Jean, celebrated the nod on Instagram. Alongside an image of the nominees in the category, she expressed heartfelt gratitude to those she works with. In her message, she said: “So this happened. Congratulations to the Writing Team of #BeyondTheGates for our first Writers Guild Award nomination. I am thrilled and so grateful for all of you. Let’s gooo #BTG”
The official GH Instagram account posted its own celebratory message. “Please help us congratulate Elizabeth Korte, Chris Van Etten and the entire #GeneralHospital Writing Team on their 2026 Writers Guild Awards Nomination for Daytime Drama! 👏👏👏 #GH.”
Y&R’s official Instagram account was thrilled to announce the big nomination. It thanked and listed its associate head writer team, saying: “We are so thrilled to announce that The Young and Restless has received a nomination for Daytime Drama from the Writer’s Guild Awards! To the writing staff, thank you for bringing our favorite stories to life! ⭐️.”
The official BTG Instagram account was equally happy to share the news. “We are thrilled to share that Beyond The Gates has received a nomination from the Writer’s Guild Awards for Daytime Drama! Congratulations to our amazing writing staff on the well-deserved recognition and honors 🏆
The 2026 Writers Guild Awards
The 2026 Writers Guild Awards honor outstanding achievement in screenwriting, television, streaming, news, radio/audio, and promotional writing from 2025. The winners will be announced on Sunday, March 8, when the livestream will air on the Writers Guild of America West’s YouTube Channel.
But don’t worry, should you tune in, the Los Angeles-based show will include highlights from its East Coast counterpart. Soap Hub would like to congratulate Y&R, GH, and BTG on the nominations.
