2024 Emmys: Alan Cumming (‘The Traitors’) wins Best Reality Host, ending RuPaul’s reign

For the first time in nine years, the Emmy race for Best Reality Host has been won by somebody not named RuPaul Charles. Alan Cumming (“The Traitors”) staged a massive upset at the 2024 Emmys to win the trophy for the second season of Peacock’s whodunnit mystery series. The “RuPaul’s Drag Race” host, of course, still holds the all-time record in this category at eight wins in a row between 2016 and 2023 — not too shabby!

For this 2024 contest, which took place at Saturday night’s Creative Arts Emmy ceremony in downtown Los Angeles, Alan Cumming and RuPaul Charles faced off against Jeff Probst (“Survivor”), Kristen Kish (“Top Chef”) and Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Robert Herjavec, Lori Greiner, Daymond John & Kevin O’Leary (“Shark Tank”).

SEE 2024 Creative Arts Emmys: Complete list of winners

Cumming triumphed for Season 2 of “The Traitors,” which was also nominated this year for competition program, directing and cinematography. He plays a villainously campy version of himself on the Peacock show, and is always impeccably dressed, whether he’s banishing contestants or presiding over a funeral. Cumming was previously nominated at the Primetime Emmys three times for acting on “The Good Wife” and one time for hosting the 69th Tony Awards. He has another bid next week as Best Competition Program for “The Traitors.”

Earlier this awards season, Cumming sat down for an interview with Gold Derby in which he talked about being the “castle daddy” of the series. “I think I’m sort of this James Bond villain-style, Highland-layered dandy in this castle, bringing all of these people into this lair,” he explained. “It’s kind of a Pied Piper sort of role — you have to let them follow you into this weird Neverland that is ‘The Traitors.'”

The 2024 Creative Arts Emmys took place over two nights: Saturday, September 7 (which focused on animation, reality, variety and nonfiction programming), and Sunday, September 8 (which focused on dramas, comedies, TV movies and limited series). The main Primetime Emmys broadcast will air the following week on ABC on Sunday, September 15, which is where the remaining 25 awards will be doled out.

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