The nominees for Outstanding Reality Competition Program at the 2025 Emmy Awards know better than most that only one winner can take home the prize.
The Traitors ultimately earned the award during the Sunday, September 14, ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
“Thanks everyone who watches the show and all the people who have Traitors parties and dress up as me,” host Alan Cumming said during his acceptance speech. “We see you, and we love you.”
In addition to thanking Peacock, Cumming, 60, gave credit to all the reality stars who make each season so memorable.
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“Thank you to our crazy cast and our crew in Scotland,” he continued. “It’s a difficult time we live in, but it is so great that our show brings a little bit of joy into this life. Talking of joy, thank you [to my husband] Grant Shaffer, who brings joy into my life every single day. Thank you so much.”
The Traitors beat out The Amazing Race, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Survivor and Top Chef in the Outstanding Reality Competition Program category.
Of the contenders, The Amazing Race had the most prior wins in the Outstanding Reality Competition Program category, with 10 trophies between 2003 and 2014. RuPaul’s Drag Race followed with five statues between 2018 and 2023, while Top Chef and The Traitors trailed with one previous accolade each in the category in 2010 and 2024, respectively. Survivor was the only nominated show to never earn Outstanding Reality Competition Program despite its six nods since 2003.
Prior to Sunday’s awards show, The Traitors secured four early wins at the 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program for Cumming, Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program, Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program and Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program.
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Meanwhile, RuPaul’s Drag Race was up for eight awards this year: Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program, Outstanding Production Design for a Variety or Reality Series, Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program, Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program, Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Series, Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program and Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program for RuPaul.
For its part, The Amazing Race received six nominations in 2025, including Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program, Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Reality Program, Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program and Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program.
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Survivor earned a total of four nods for Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program, Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program and Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program for Jeff Probst in addition to Outstanding Reality Competition Program.
As for Top Chef, the Bravo series landed three nominations this year, including Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program and Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program for Kristen Kish.
