The Critics Choice Association (CCA) today revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.
“The Traitors” leads the nominations for the third year in a row, earning six nods overall. The show was recognized in the categories of Best Competition Series and Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series. Notably, Alan Cumming earned a spot in two categories, Best Show Host and Male Star of the Year, while Lisa Rinna was nominated for Female Star of the Year and Rob Rausch for Male Star of the Year.
“Dancing with the Stars” followed with a total of four nominations including Best Competition Series: Talent/Variety and Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series. The show’s Robert Irwin was recognized in the category of Male Star of the Year, and Whitney Leavitt earned a nod for Female Star of the Year.
Netflix led with the most nominations for any company, earning 18 nods for shows including “Age of Attraction,” “Formula 1: Drive to Survive,” “Love Is Blind,” “Love on the Spectrum,” “Quarterback,” “Queer Eye,” “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,” “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” “Somebody Feed Phil,” “Squid Game: The Challenge,” “The Great British Baking Show,” “Trust Me: The False Prophet,” and “Untold.”
“We are proud to celebrate the best in unscripted programming with our eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards,” said Critics Choice Association TV Branch President Ed Martin. “This year, the Critics recognize the enduring quality and long-running success of so many outstanding unscripted series, including programs that have achieved 20+ seasons on television – like ‘Survivor’ in its 50th season – while also honoring relative newcomers carving out their own legacies in the genre, such as ‘The Traitors’ and ‘Love on the Spectrum.’”
The Critics Choice Real TV Awards were launched in 2019 as a large-scale awards platform to give the robust unscripted genre critical attention and support. The awards celebrate programming across platforms and also recognize industry leaders with special awards highlighting career achievements.
Blue-ribbon nominating committees made up of Critics Choice Association members with expertise in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming determined the nominees. Winners will be chosen by a vote of the CCA membership.
BEST COMPETITION SERIES
Finding Mr. Christmas (Hallmark Channel)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV)
Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix)
Survivor 50 (CBS)
Top Chef (Bravo)
The Traitors (Peacock)
BEST COMPETITION SERIES: TALENT/VARIETY
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
American Idol (ABC)
The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans (Shudder)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
KPOPPED (Apple TV)
The Voice (NBC)
BEST UNSTRUCTURED SERIES
Below Deck Down Under (Bravo)
Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel)
Love on the Spectrum (Netflix)
Neighbors (HBO Max)
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island (Bravo)
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (Bravo)
BEST STRUCTURED SERIES
Age of Attraction (Netflix)
Couples Therapy (Paramount+ Premium)
Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (Food Network)
It’s Florida, Man (HBO Max)
Love Is Blind (Netflix)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
BEST CULINARY SHOW
America’s Culinary Cup (CBS)
Be My Guest with Ina Garten (Food Network)
The Great British Baking Show (Netflix)
Magnolia Table: At the Farm (Magnolia Network)
Top Chef (Bravo)
Tucci in Italy (National Geographic)
BEST GAME SHOW
Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)
The Floor (Fox)
Jeopardy! (Syndicated)
Match Game (ABC)
The Wall (NBC)
Wheel of Fortune (Syndicated)
BEST TRAVEL/ADVENTURE SHOW
The Amazing Race (CBS)
Expedition Unknown (Discovery Channel)
The Reluctant Traveler (Apple TV)
Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross (Roku Channel)
Somebody Feed Phil (Netflix)
Tucci in Italy (National Geographic)
BEST BUSINESS SHOW
Bar Rescue (Paramount Network)
The Fixer (Fox)
On Brand with Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
Maxxed Out (OWN)
Shark Tank (ABC)
BEST ANIMAL/NATURE SHOW
Born to be Wild (Apple TV)
Kingdom (BBC America)
Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age (Apple TV)
Secrets of the Bees (National Geographic)
Underdogs (National Geographic)
The Wild Ones (Apple TV)
BEST CRIME/JUSTICE SHOW
The Curious Case of… (Investigation Discovery)
Equal Justice with Judge Eboni K. Williams (Syndicated)
Naming the Dead (National Geographic)
Surviving Mormonism with Heather Gay (Bravo)
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller (National Geographic)
Trust Me: The False Prophet (Netflix)
BEST SPORTS SHOW
30 for 30 (ESPN)
Formula 1: Drive to Survive (Netflix)
Hard Knocks (HBO Max)
Quarterback (Netflix)
Untold (Netflix)
Welcome to Wrexham (FX/Hulu)
BEST SPORTS SHOW: TALK/ANALYSIS
The Dan Patrick Show (Peacock)
Good Sports with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson (Prime Video)
Inside the NBA (ESPN/ABC)
Pardon the Interruption (ESPN)
The Pat McAfee Show (ESPN)
The Rich Eisen Show (Disney+/ESPN+)
BEST RELATIONSHIP SHOW
Age of Attraction (Netflix)
Couples Therapy (Paramount+ Premium)
Farmer Wants a Wife (Fox)
Love Is Blind (Netflix)
Love on the Spectrum (Netflix)
Neighbors (HBO Max)
BEST LIFESTYLE SHOW: HOME/GARDEN
Bargain Block (HGTV)
Castle Impossible (HGTV)
Home Town (HGTV)
The Last Wright: Building the Final Home Design of America’s Greatest Architect (Magnolia Network)
That Thrifting Show with Lara Spencer (Freeform)
Ugliest House in America (HGTV)
BEST LIFESTYLE SHOW: FASHION/BEAUTY
Botched Presents: Plastic Surgery Rewind (E!)
Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out (Lifetime)
Project Runway (Freeform)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV)
BEST LIMITED SERIES
Boy Band Confidential (Investigation Discovery)
Death in Apartment 603: What Happened to Ellen Greenberg? (Hulu)
Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV)
Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model (Netflix)
Sean Combs: The Reckoning (Netflix)
Trust Me: The False Prophet (Netflix)
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST IN AN UNSCRIPTED SERIES
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Finding Mr. Christmas (Hallmark Channel)
House of Villains (E!)
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island (Bravo)
Summer House (Bravo)
The Traitors (Peacock)
BEST SHOW HOST
Jonathan Bennett – Finding Mr. Christmas (Hallmark Channel)
Alan Cumming – The Traitors (Peacock)
Kristen Kish – Top Chef (Bravo)
Padma Lakshmi – America’s Culinary Cup (CBS)
Joel McHale – House of Villains (E!)
RuPaul – RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV)
MALE STAR OF THE YEAR
Alan Cumming – The Traitors (Peacock)
Chris Hemsworth – Limitless: Live Better Now (National Geographic)
Robert Irwin – Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Rob Rausch – The Traitors (Peacock)
Ryan Seacrest – American Idol (ABC) and Wheel of Fortune (Syndicated)
Stanley Tucci – Tucci in Italy (National Geographic)
FEMALE STAR OF THE YEAR
Heather Gay – The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (Bravo) and Surviving Mormonism with Heather Gay (Bravo)
Whitney Leavitt – Dancing with the Stars (ABC) and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (Hulu)
Dr. Sandra Lee – Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out (Lifetime)
Ciara Miller – Summer House (Bravo)
Tiffany “New York” Pollard – House of Villains (E!)
Lisa Rinna – The Traitors (Peacock)
What do you think of the nominations? Please let us know your thoughts on our X account. Click here for our latest Emmy nomination predictions.
