By Jill Serjeant

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Television may have been what helped people get through the lockdowns and quarantines of the past year, but the Emmy Awards themselves just can’t seem to get a break.

Cedric The Entertainer, who was forced to cancel the mass gathering of executives and celebrities for the second consecutive year, will host an informal show in Los Angeles this Sunday. This is due to concerns about the Delta virus.

Jennifer Aniston will not be attending the event despite her medical requirements and testing. Organizers said that many actors from “The Crown,” a popular drama series, will be attending the event in London.

“We do have some people wanting to dial in, and we understand that,” Maury McIntyre, president of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, told Variety this week.

McIntyre stated that although there are only 500 people in the tent 500 was still too many for some.

Celebrities joined the Emmys virtually last year from home, gardens, and hotels around the globe, rather than attending the in-person event which was attended by more than 4,000.

The pandemic saw television viewing explode, with people glued to their homes accessing vast libraries of streaming content.

The British Royal Series “The Crown”, and “Ted Lasso,” which is a touching comedy about a man who can’t swim, coaching an inept British soccer team to success, are both expected to benefit this year.

“Ted Lasso”, a comedy about a fish-out of water American coach, won 20 Emmys nominations. It also received six Emmys nominations.

Tom O’Neil (founder of Goldderby.com awards website) said that Ted Lasso is “old-fashioned,” “shamlessly lovable”, and has many wonderful twists. It has an unfailing optimism, even in the face of terrible circumstances.

It could be the first major win for Apple’s TV+ streaming service.

The show’s compelling second season, which focused on Prince Charles’ unhappy marriage to Princess Diana, earned it 24 Emmy nominations. It will win its first Emmy for best drama series, according to experts. This is a landmark win for Netflix (NASDAQ).

O’Neil stated, “If Ted Lasso and The Crown win the best TV series race,”

Amazon (NASDAQ) and Hulu won previous TV series awards for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “The Handmaid’s Tale” respectively.

Gerrad Hall (Senior TV Editor at Entertainment Weekly) stated, “I would not be surprised if ‘The Crown’ didn’t win.” It was an outstanding season, and each performance is worthy of awards.

The Crown will be competing for the best drama series award against Star Wars’ TV spinoff “The Mandalorian”, which features Baby Yoda and “The Boys,” as well as “The Boys,” the “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the “Pose” series, and “This is Us”, the only mainstream television series.

It is difficult to predict the future of limited series, as streaming services dominate this field.

Hall said that these limited series “are prestige TV.” He was referring to “I May Destroy You,” the “Mare of Easttown” show, “Mare of Easttown”, “Mare of Easttown”, “The Queen’s Gambit”, “WandaVision”, and “The Underground Railroad.”

Hall stated that every single show nominated is female-driven, with a range of themes.

Live broadcast of the Emmy Awards on CBS will take place on September 19, at 8 p.m. ET (0000 GMT).