Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series is an award presented to the best television variety-style talk show of the year.

In 2015, Outstanding Variety Series was separated into two categories – Outstanding Variety Sketch Series and Outstanding Variety Talk Series.

The split was reversed in 2026 and the category will return at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards with the merging of the two categories.

Winners and nominations

2010s

2020s

Programs with multiple wins

Totals include wins for Outstanding Variety Series.

11 wins

• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

8 wins

• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

6 wins

• Late Show with David Letterman

2 wins

• The Colbert Report

Programs with multiple nominations

Totals include nominations for Outstanding Variety Series.

17 nominations

• Late Show with David Letterman

15 nominations

• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

12 nominations

• Jimmy Kimmel Live!
• Real Time with Bill Maher

10 nominations

• The Colbert Report

8 nominations

• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

6 nominations

• The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

4 nominations

• Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
• The Late Late Show with James Corden

3 nominations

• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
• Late Night with Seth Meyers

2 nominations

• Conan

Notes

See also

• Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Talk Show

References