Scott Clifton Wins Daytime Emmy for 'Bold and the Beautiful', Recounts 'Hard Year' and Personal Reflections

Scott Clifton Claims Daytime Emmy Win

Scott Clifton won Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series: Actor at the 2026 Daytime Emmys on Friday, Oct. 30. The victory adds another prestigious honor to his impressive daytime television career, which already includes a rare trifecta of wins in the younger actor, supporting actor, and lead actor categories.

A Heartfelt Acceptance Speech

During his acceptance speech, Clifton expressed deep gratitude to his fellow nominees and costars. He praised Eric Braeden, Steve Burton, Thorsten Kaye, and Christian LeBlanc for their significant contributions to daytime television. He also thanked executive producer and head writer Bradley Bell, joking that he owed him "an arm and a leg, maybe a few toes." Clifton further acknowledged costars Don Diamont and Annika Noelle before delivering emotional tributes to his loved ones.

A Challenging Year and Personal Reflections

Reflecting on the year, Clifton described it as "really hard." He credited his longtime girlfriend, Elle Anderson, for helping him through the difficult period, stating she made him "invincible" and calling her his "existential oxygen tank."

Regarding his health, Clifton disclosed during the speech that he had experienced a medical scare earlier in the year. In earlier reporting this year, Clifton shared on Instagram that he fainted while using the bathroom in the middle of the night, suffered a concussion, and required emergency room treatment. He also noted that he needed to make switches due to this incident.

Clifton then turned his attention to his 10-year-old son, Ford, sharing a sweet message about the young boy's pride in his father's career.

"I have no idea if he’s watching this, but, dude, I’m so grateful that the one thing that you don’t think I’m lame for is my career," Clifton said.

Contenders and Career Milestones

Clifton beat out daytime drama favorites, including Braeden, Burton, Kaye, and Le Blanc, for the honor.

• Eric Braeden, 85: Has played Victor Newman on *The Young and the Restless* since 1980. The CBS soap, which premiered in 1973, follows the lives, loves, and rivalries of the residents of Genoa City, Wisconsin. Braeden previously won one Daytime Emmy in 1998 for his portrayal of the Newman family patriarch.
• Steve Burton, 56: Was nominated for his portrayal of Jason Morgan on *General Hospital*. The ABC soap, which has been running since 1963, follows the personal and professional lives of the town's titular hospital staff, with plenty of romance, mystery, crime, and high-stakes twists. Burton previously earned two Daytime Emmy nominations and scored two wins.
• Thorsten Kaye, 60: Was in the running for his portrayal of Ridge Forrester on *The Bold and the Beautiful*. He took over the role in 2013, stepping into the shoes of a character who has been central to the fashion-focused soap since its debut in 1987. Kaye has earned two Daytime Emmys for this role in both 2023 and 2024.
• Christian LeBlanc, 68: Plays attorney Michael Baldwin on *The Young and the Restless*, joining the CBS soap in 1991. His character has evolved from a troubled lawyer into a key member of Genoa City's legal and social circles. Le Blanc previously won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series three times: 2005, 2007, and 2009.

Clifton joined *The Bold and the Beautiful* as Liam Spencer in 2010, becoming a central figure in the soap's long-running romantic and family storylines. He previously portrayed Dillon Quartermaine on *General Hospital* and Schuyler Joplin on *One Life to Live*.

Practical Implications and Verification

This award solidifies Clifton's continued presence in the daytime drama landscape. To verify the details of this announcement and Clifton's personal disclosures, readers can refer to the original People.com article covering the 2026 Daytime Emmys and Clifton's prior Instagram posts regarding his recent health scare.