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Every Emmys Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) winner

8 ceremonies, 2018–2025. 8 different winners.

Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) was first awarded in 2018, so it does not run the full 2000–2025 window.

It took over from Outstanding Variety Special.

One band per year, because no winner has gone back-to-back in the years on record. Colored by network; scroll sideways for the full run.
Dave Chappelle: Equanimity'18
Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live from Liverpool'19
Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones'20
Hamilton'21
Adele: One Night Only'22
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love'23
Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic'24
Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor'25
Wins by network
  1. CBS338%
  2. Netflix338%
  3. Disney+113%
  4. NBC113%

The full list

YearWinnerNetwork
2025Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
beat 5 others
  • Adam Sandler: Love You
  • Ali Wong: Single Lady
  • Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years
  • Sarah Silverman: PostMortem
  • Your Friend, Nate Bargatze
Netflix
2024Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic
beat 4 others
  • Billy Joel: The 100th - Live at Madison Square Garden
  • Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer
  • Nikki Glaser: Someday You'll Die
  • Trevor Noah: Where Was I
CBS
2023Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
beat 5 others
  • John Mulaney: Baby J
  • Lizzo: Live in Concert
  • Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter
  • Trevor Noah: I Wish You Would
  • Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer
NBC
2022Adele: One Night Only
beat 4 others
  • Dave Chappelle: The Closer
  • Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts
  • Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special
  • One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
CBS
2021Hamilton
beat 5 others
  • Bo Burnham: Inside
  • David Byrne's American Utopia
  • 8:46 - Dave Chappelle
  • Friends: The Reunion
  • A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote
Disney+
2020Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones
beat 5 others
  • Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
  • Hannah Gadsby: Douglas
  • Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill
  • John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch
  • Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah
Netflix
2019Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live from Liverpool
beat 4 others
  • Hannah Gadsby: Nanette
  • Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé
  • Springsteen on Broadway
  • Wanda Sykes: Not Normal
CBS
2018Dave Chappelle: Equanimity
beat 4 others
  • The Carol Burnett Show: 50th Anniversary Special
  • Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2018
  • Full Frontal with Samantha Bee Presents: The Great American* Puerto Rico (*It's Complicated)
  • Steve Martin & Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life
Netflix

More Emmys categories

Lead Actress (Limited)Competition ProgramVariety SeriesTalk SeriesDirecting (Limited)Writing (Limited)Variety SpecialVariety Special (Live)Animated ProgramAnimated (One Hour or Less)Animated (Over One Hour)Documentary SeriesSupp. Actor (Drama)Supp. Actress (Drama)Supp. Actor (Comedy)Supp. Actress (Comedy)All 34 categories

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