The Biggest Emmy Records of All Time: Most Wins, Youngest Winners, Historic Milestones & More
Let's dive into some history-making stats ahead of 78th Emmy® Awards on September 14.
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The 78th Emmy® Awards airs live on Monday, September 14 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock. Every year, the ceremony honors the peer-voted stars, behind-the-scenes professionals, movies, and TV shows that made it to the top of the ballot. With over 300 Emmys awarded annually, there have been many firsts and record-setting wins among them.
As such, we're answering your most-asked questions when it comes to historic Emmy Awards milestones. Check it out below, and watch the 2026 Emmy Awards telecast hosted by Mariska Hargitay on September 14 on NBC and Peacock.
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Who is the person with the most Emmy wins?
Legendary producer and documentarian Sheila Nevins is the person who's racked up the most Emmys with 31. Nevins has produced more than 1,000 documentaries throughout her career, and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2026.
What show has the most Emmys?
For over 52 years and counting, Saturday Night Live has been the definitive voice of late-night sketch comedy — to the tune of 114 Emmy awards. This total includes the 94 Emmys the in-season show has won, in addition to honor for one-offs like SNL50: The Anniversary Special, and the four Emmys the show earned in 1976 when it was called NBC's Saturday Night.
Want to get even deeper into the numbers? Click here for a full SNL Emmys breakdown.
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Who has the most Emmy nominations in history?
With an incredible 113 nominations, Lorne Michaels holds the record as the most nominated individual in the Emmys' 78-year history, with 24 wins overall.
Fittingly, SNL holds the distinction of being the most-nominated show ever, at 360, including 11 Emmy nominations in 2026.
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Who is the youngest Emmy winner?
In 1984, Roxana Zal won at only 14 years old. She took home the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Special for Something About Amelia and officially became the youngest winner in history.
In 2025, British actor Owen Cooper became the second-youngest Emmy winner of all time. He took home the Outstanding Supporting Acter in a Limited Or Anthology Series or Movie award for his role in the series Adolescence.
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Who is the oldest Emmy winner?
Sir David Attenborough is the oldest Emmy winner overall, winning in 2025 at age 99 for his narration work on Secret Lives of Orangutans. Attenborough dethroned the previous "oldest" — TV legend Dick Van Dyke.
When it comes to Primetime Emmys, Norman Lear holds the distinction of being the oldest winner ever. In 2020, he nabbed the Emmy at age 98 for producing Live in Front of a Studio Audience.
What show has the most Emmy wins in a single year?
The drama series Shōgun holds this record, earning 18 Emmys across 25 nominations in 2024.
Frasier is the most-awarded comedy series
Frasier didn't just become one of NBC's most beloved comedies in the eyes of viewers — the iconic series was also handsomely rewarded by the Television Academy with the most Emmys in history. Frasier amassed 38 total Emmy Awards during its original 11-season run and its revival in the mid-2020s.
Game of Thrones wins most-awarded drama series
A cultural phenomenon from 2011 to 2019, Game of Thrones was awarded 59 Emmys in total, giving it the distinction of most-awarded drama show ever.
