The nominations for the best of daytime television were announced yesterday for excellence among the dramas, talk shows and children's programming, live on ABC's "The View." Helping to announce the nominations were Scott Clifton of "General Hospital" and Alexa Havins of "All My Children," both ABC soap operas.

The long-running soap opera "The Young and the Restless" picked up 18 nominations, including Outstanding Drama, but not one of it's cast received a nod. Fellow CBS soap "Guiding Light" earned 14 nominations and both "General Hospital" and CBS' "As the World Turns" received 12 nominations a piece. All four are competing against each other in the Outstanding Drama category.

In non-soap categories, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" leads the pack with 11 nominations. Among it's many nominations, show host DeGeneres is up for Outstanding Talk Show Host and her show is up for Outstanding Talk Show against "Dr. Phil," "Live with Regis & Kelly" and "The View." She won both categories last year, and looks to be the frontrunner again this year.

Returning to daytime was a good move for Martha Stewart, as her show "Martha" picked up two nominations, for Outstanding Service Show and Outstanding Service Show Host. Meredith Vieira also picked up two hosting nominations, one for "The View" and another for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the entity behind the Emmys, will be honoring Carroll Spinney with a special lifetime achievement award this year. Spinney is the man behind beloved "Sesame Street" characters Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.

The Daytime Emmy Awards will be broadcast on April 28, on the ABC network, live from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. For more on the Emmys, visit www.emmys.org

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Here is a listing of the major category nominees:

Outstanding Drama Series

"As the World Turns" (CBS)
"General Hospital" (ABC)
"Guiding Light" (CBS)
"The Young and the Restless (CBS)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Bobbie Eakes (Krystal Carey/"All My Children"--ABC)
Beth Ehlers (Harley Davidson Cooper/"Guiding Light"--CBS)
Susan Flannery (Stephanie Forrester/"The Bold and the Beautiful"--CBS)
Kelly Monaco (Sam McCall/"General Hospital"--ABC)
Kim Zimmer (Reva Lewis/"Guiding Light"--CBS)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Maurice Benard (Sonny Cointhos/"General Hospital"--ABC)
Anthony Geary (Luke Spencer/"General Hospital"--ABC)
Thorsten Kaye (Zach Slater/"All My Children"--ABC)
Robert Newman (Joshua Lewis/"Guiding Light"--CBS)
Ron Raines (Alan Spaulding/"Guiding Light"--CBS)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Tracey E. Bregman (Lauren Fenmore/"The Young and the Restless--CBS)
Crystal Chappell (Olivia Spencer/"Guiding Light"--CBS)
Jennifer Ferrin (Jennifer Munson/"As the World Turns"--CBS)
Renee Goldsberry (Evangeline Williamson/"One Life to Live"--ABC)
Gina Tognoni (Dinah Marler/"Guiding Light"--CBS)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Tyler Christopher (Nikolas Cassadine/"General Hospital"--ABC)
Jordan Clarke (Billy Lewis/"As the World Turns"--CBS)
Trent Dawson (Henry Coleman/"As the World Turns"--CBS)
Grayson McCouch (Dustin Donovan/"As the World Turns"--CBS)
Greg Rikaart (Kevin Fisher/"The Young and the Restless--CBS)

Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series

Mandy Bruno (Marina Cooper/"Guiding Light"--CBS)
Camryn Grimes (Cassie Newman/"The Young and the Restless--CBS)
Christel Khalil (Lily Winters/"The Young and the Restless--CBS)
Jennifer Landon (Gwen Norbeck/"As the World Turns"--CBS)
Leven Rambin (Lily Montgomery/"All My Children"--ABC)

Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series

Scott Clifton (Dillon Quartermaine/"General Hospital"--ABC)
Michael Graziadei (Daniel Romalotti/"The Young and the Restless--CBS)
Bryton McClure (Devon Hamilton/"The Young and the Restless--CBS)
Tom Pelphrey (Jonathan Randall/"Guiding Light"--CBS)
Jesse Lee Soffer (Will Munson/"As the World Turns"--CBS)

Outstanding Talk Show

"Dr. Phil" (syndication)
"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (syndication)
"Live With Regis & Kelly" (syndication)
"The View" (ABC)

Outstanding Talk Show Host

Ellen Degeneres ("The Ellen DeGeneres Show"--syndication)
Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa ("Live with Regis & Kelly"--syndication)
Lisa Rinna and Ty Treadway ("Soap Talk"--SoapNet)
Barbara Walters, Meredith Vieira, Star Jones Reynolds, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck ("The View"--ABC)

Outstanding Service Show

"30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray" (Food Network)
"Essence of Emeril with Emeril Lagasse" (Food Network)
"Martha" (syndication)
"Suze Orman: For the Young, Fabulous & Broke" (PBS)
"This Old House" (PBS)

Outstanding Service Show Host

Emeril Lagasse ("Essence of Emeril"--Food Network)
Suze Orman ("Suze Orman: For the Young, Fabulous & Broke"--PBS)
Rachael Ray ("30 Minute Meals"--Food Network)
Martha Stewart ("Martha"--syndication)

Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show

"Jeopardy" (syndication)
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (syndication)

Outstanding Game Show Host

Alex Trebek ("Jeopardy"--syndication)
Meredith Vieira ("Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"--syndication)

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For a complete listing of all the nominees for the 2006 Daytime Emmys, please visit the companion article at: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art40412.asp

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