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Saved by the Bell alum and Access Hollywood co-host Mario Lopez will emcee the 2025 Daytime Emmy Awards on October 17 at Pasadena Civic Auditorium. In a first since 2018, a limited number of tickets go on sale from $75, as NATAS also unveils new Gold and Silver Circle honorees.
Mario Lopez takes the stage in Pasadena
Mario Lopez will host the 2025 Daytime Emmys on October 17 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California, a venue steeped in television history. The night is part of a special collaboration between NATAS and Access Hollywood, where Lopez serves as co-host.
NATAS president and CEO Adam Sharp called him a natural fit: “As a beloved figure in daytime television himself, Mario brings the perfect blend of energy, familiarity, and star power to the stage.” It sounds like a safe, crowd-pleasing choice that prioritizes comfort and momentum.
I like the pick. Lopez is an easy presence, the kind of host who keeps a room humming without making it about himself. For a ceremony that thrives on warmth and recognition, that balance matters. To read Gwen Stefani headlines magical 2025 Disney Christmas Parade
Access Hollywood builds a week of Emmys coverage
Access Hollywood will prime the pump with five nights of exclusive Daytime Emmy content starting October 13. Expect nominee spotlights, backstage peeks, and the kind of red carpet prep that gets fans in the mood before envelopes are opened.
The celebration continues after the ceremony with a post-show special airing October 20. It will package red carpet highlights, winners’ reactions, and behind-the-scenes footage that usually vanishes once the cameras cut. For anyone who loves the mechanics of an awards night, that’s where the real flavor is.
As a viewer, I appreciate this rhythm. The pre-show week builds anticipation, the main event delivers, and the post-show lets the moments breathe instead of being forgotten by Monday.
Honoring decades of daytime excellence
NATAS also revealed its 2025 Gold and Silver Circle honorees, distinctions reserved for professionals marking 50 and 25 years of significant service to television. It is the part of the evening that grounds the celebration in legacy.
- Gold Circle
- Jane Elliott, performer best known for General Hospital
- Silver Circle
- Greg Barna, director of photography for Travels with Darley, Equitrekking, Cyberchase For Real, Bill Moyers – Close to Home, Beer Geeks, Lidia’s Family Table, and Shelia Bridges Designer Living
- Judy Blye Wilson, casting director for The Young and the Restless, All My Children, and One Life to Live
- Star Jones, host and executive producer of Divorce Court and former co-host of The View
- Kate Linder, performer on The Young and the Restless
- James Reynolds, performer on Days of our Lives
Seeing Jane Elliott’s name feels right. She is one of those performers who can freeze a room with a look, a reminder of how daytime acting, at its best, is a daily exercise in stamina and nuance. The Silver Circle slate reads like a tour of daytime’s living memory. To read Toho expands into Europe with bold anime distribution moves
Tickets return for fans
For the first time since 2018, a limited number of public tickets are available via Ticketmaster, starting at 75 dollars. It is a small but meaningful shift that reconnects the show with the people who keep daytime alive.
“We’re excited to be able to open the doors to Daytime fans after years of requests for an in-person audience,” Adam Sharp added. I suspect it will change the room’s temperature in the best way. Applause that comes from genuine fans, not just colleagues, gives winners a different kind of glow.
