The Creative Arts Emmy Awards kicked off with night one honouring achievements in categories such as variety, reality, and documentary programming, with "Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny" and "The Traitors" leading the night's wins. The ceremony recognised the vast, often unheralded creative workforce behind television, as highlighted by opening host Wanda Sykes, and featured emotional moments alongside celebratory ones ahead of the main Emmys telecast.

Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show collected seven awards, including outstanding variety special (live), while "The Traitors" picked up six, with host Alan Cumming winning his fifth Emmy despite being away filming the new season. Mariska Hargitay won two awards for her documentary "My Mom Jayne," using her speech to pay tribute to Gloria Steinem, who died earlier in the week. Jimmy Kimmel opened proceedings with a win for game show host, while Sabrina Carpenter and Seth Rogen also picked up honours for "The Muppet Show," and Tyler Strickland won for his score on the John Candy documentary.