Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
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2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Game Show
PASSWORD — Episode 3: Meghan Trainor — Pictured: Host Keke Palmer — (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC via Getty Images)
Jordin Althaus/NBC via Getty Ima
Weekly Commentary (June 16, 2023): The category for outstanding game shows has moved from Daytime to the Primetime ceremony. Twenty-five programs are up for consideration, including syndicated pop culture staples like “Family Feud,” “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune.” As a result, five nominees will be named.
When part of the Daytime ceremony, “Jeopardy” holds the record for the most noms and wins with 38 and 19, respectively. CBS’ “The Price is Right” and “Wheel” follow with 36 and 21 mentions across multiple decades.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.
More commentary on game show hosts is below.
And the Predicted Nominees Are:
- “Jeopardy” (Syndication)
- “Let’s Make a Deal” (CBS)
- “Press Your Luck” (ABC)
- “The Price is Right” (CBS)
- “That’s My Jam” (NBC)
Next in Line
- “Weakest Link” (NBC)
- “The Wheel” (NBC)
- “Wheel of Fortune” (Syndication)
- “The $100,000 Pyramid” (ABC)
- “Password” (NBC)
Other Top-Tier Possibilities
- “People Puzzler” (Game Show Network)
- “Lingo” (CBS)
- “You Bet Your Life” (Syndication)
- “Barmageddon” (NBC)
- “Capital One College Bowl” (NBC)
- “25 Words or Less” (Syndication)
- “Celebrity Game Face” (NBC)
- “Generation Gap” (ABC)
- “Master Minds” (Game Show Network)
- “Split Second” (Game Show Network)
All Eligible Titles (Alphabetized)**
- “Barmageddon” (NBC)
- “Capital One College Bowl” (NBC)
- “Celebrity Game Face” (NBC)
- “Family Feud” (Syndication)
- “Funny You Should Ask” (Syndication)
- “Game Changer” (Dropout)
- “Jeopardy” (Syndication)
- “Let’s Make a Deal” (CBS)
- “Lingo” (CBS)
- “Generation Gap” (ABC)
- “Master Minds” (Game Show Network)
- “The $100,000 Pyramid” (ABC)
- “Password” (NBC)
- “People Puzzler” (Game Show Network)
- “Pictionary” (CBS)
- “Press Your Luck” (ABC)
- “The Price is Right” (CBS)
- “Split Second” (Game Show Network)
- “That’s My Jam” (NBC)
- “25 Words or Less” (Syndication)
- “The Wall” (NBC)
- “Weakest Link” (NBC)
- “The Wheel” (NBC)
- “Wheel of Fortune” (Syndication)
- “You Bet Your Life” (Syndication)
** This official list and/or category submission is not yet complete or confirmed and is subject to change.
2022 category winner: “Jeopardy” (at the Daytime Emmy Awards)
2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Host for a Game Show
CELEBRITY WHEEL OF FORTUNE – Vanna White
ABC via Getty Images
Weekly Commentary (June 16, 2023): On Monday, “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak announced he would be leaving after the end of this 41st season. Throughout his run, he’s racked up the third most noms for outstanding game show host at the Daytime Emmys with 21, following Bob Barker from “The Price is Right” (23) and the late Alex Trebek from “Jeopardy” (32). The “Wheel” host has won three times. However, he’s never shared a mention alongside his equally famous hostess Vanna White, who’s been revealing the letters on the board since 1982.
It’s strange considering both “Jeopardy” hosts — Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings — are both contending, albeit separate, for their competition program. Per Emmy rules, the two never perform their hosting duties simultaneously, thus can contend individually. This is similar to “Saturday Night Live” hosts when opting for guest comedy categories.
Sajak has hosted since the Reagan presidency in 1981. In 2019, White shortly took over hosting duties while Sajak recovered from surgery.
The National Women’s History Museum has long covered the absence of women as game show hosts. TV legend Betty White became the first woman to win an Emmy for game show host in 1983 for NBC’s “Just Men.” The second wouldn’t be crowned until Meredith Vierira in 2005 for the syndicated “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” She won again in 2009.
It’s unclear if White is eligible to submit herself with her current duties, but it’s about time another woman enters the emcee list.
The good news is some other women are contending for noms, notably Elizabeth Banks (“Press Your Luck”), Keke Palmer (“Password”) and Leah Remini (“People Puzzler”). Palmer would be the first Black woman nominated. Wayne Brady (“Let’s Make a Deal”) and Steve Harvey (“Family Feud”) are the only Black hosts to win.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.
Nomination voting is now open to the 20,000+ members of the Television Academy. The first round of voting ends on June 26 at 10 p.m. PT. The official nominees will be announced on Tuesday, July 12. The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment, are (tentatively scheduled pending the outcome of the WGA strike) on Monday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Fox. The two-night Creative Arts Emmys are scheduled for Sept. 9 and Sept. 10.
And the Predicted Nominees Are:
- “Family Feud” (Syndicated) — Steve Harvey
- “Let’s Make a Deal” (CBS) — Wayne Brady
- “Press Your Luck” (CBS) — Elizabeth Banks
- “Password” (NBC) — Keke Palmer
- “That’s My Jam” (NBC) — Jimmy Fallon
Next in Line
- “Wheel of Fortune” (ABC) — Pat Sajak
- “People Puzzler” (GSN) — Leah Remini
- “The Price is Right” (CBS) — Drew Carey
- “Weakest Link” (NBC) — Jane Lynch
- “The $100,000 Pyramid” (ABC) — Michael Strahan
Other Top-Tier Possibilities
- “Jeopardy” (ABC) — Mayim Bialik
- “Jeopardy” (ABC) — Ken Jennings
- “Lingo” (CBS) — RuPaul Charles
- “Barmageddon” (USA Network) — Nikki Garcia
- “The Wall” (NBC) — Chris Hardwick
- “Generation Gap” (ABC) — Kelly Ripa
- “Capital One College Bowl” (NBC) — Peyton Manning
- “The Wheel” (NBC) — Michael McIntyre
- “25 Words Or Less” (Syndication) — Meredith Vieira
- “Pictionary” (CBS) — Jerry O’Connell
Other Eligible Titles
“Master Minds” (Brooke Burns); “Split Second” (John Michael Higgins); “Funny You Should Ask” (Jon Kelley); “You Bet Your Life” (Jay Leno); “Game Changer” (Sam Reich)
2022 category winner: Steve Harvey for “Family Feud” (at Daytime Emmys)
Emmy Awards Predictions Categories
DRAMA SERIES | COMEDY SERIES | LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES | TV MOVIE | LEAD ACTOR (DRAMA) | LEAD ACTOR (COMEDY) | LEAD ACTOR (LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | LEAD ACTRESS (DRAMA) | LEAD ACTRESS (COMEDY) | LEAD ACTRESS (LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | SUPPORTING ACTOR (DRAMA) | SUPPORTING ACTOR (COMEDY) | SUPPORTING ACTOR (LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | SUPPORTING ACTRESS (DRAMA) | SUPPORTING ACTRESS (COMEDY) | SUPPORTING ACTRESS (LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | TALK SERIES | SCRIPTED VARIETY | GAME SHOW | DIRECTING (DRAMA, COMEDY, LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | WRITING (DRAMA, COMEDY, LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | REALITY (COMPETITION, STRUCTURED, UNSTRUCTURED, HOST)
Creative Arts and Other Emmy Categories
GUEST ACTOR (DRAMA) | GUEST ACTRESS (DRAMA) | GUEST ACTOR (COMEDY) | GUEST ACTRESS (COMEDY) | VOICE-OVER | SHORT FORM | DOCUMENTARY | MUSIC | ANIMATED | OTHER CATEGORIES
About the Primetime Emmy Awards
The Primetime Emmy Awards, better known as the Emmys, are given out by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). Since 1949, the awards have recognized excellence in American primetime television programming. They are divided into three classes – Primetime Emmy Awards, the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards (honors artisan achievements), and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards (recognizes significant engineering and technological contributions). The typical eligibility period is between June 1 and May 31 of any given year. The Television Academy comprises over 25,000 members, representing 30 professional peer groups, including performers, directors, producers, art directors, artisans, and executives.
