Fadl Shaker takes the lion’s share at the Joy Awards Karis Bashar wins Best Actress Award “Ashghal Shaqqa Jiddan” crowned Best Egyptian Series

The Joy Awards 2026 witnessed one of their most dynamic and competitive editions, as the ceremony turned into an open arena for creative rivalry among top stars and entertainment industry figures, amid a striking artistic and media presence that reflected the award’s growing stature on both the Arab and global awards map.

Held in the Saudi capital Riyadh, as part of Riyadh Season, the event celebrated the most prominent artistic and cultural achievements of the past year, featuring dazzling musical and artistic performances and exceptional moments on the red carpet, confirming that the competition was not symbolic but real and driven by broad public influence.

The 2026 edition was marked by a close race among nominees, making each win a true achievement that reflected audience trust and strong public presence, particularly in the fields of music, drama, and cinema, where winning artists and productions stole the spotlight after a long contest with heavyweight names.

In the music category, artist Fadl Shaker clinched the competition, winning the Favorite Artist award, in addition to his song “Sahak Al-Shawq” winning Favorite Song. Singer Angham received the Favorite Female Artist award, reaffirming her continued strong popularity. Meanwhile, Mohammad Fadl Shaker drew attention by winning Favorite New Face, signaling the rise of a new competitive generation.

In television drama, one of the fiercest award battles took place, with Abdulmohsen Al-Nimr winning Best Actor for Al-Marsi, and Karis Bashar claiming Best Actress. The series “Ashghal Shaqqa Jiddan” won Best Egyptian Series, while “Salma” was named Best Mashreqi Series. “Sharee’ Al-Asha” dominated the Gulf scene, earning multiple awards, including Favorite Gulf Series.

In cinema, competition intensified among the nominated films, yet “Seeko Seeko” emerged on top, winning Best Feature Film, along with its director Omar Al-Mohandes receiving Favorite Film Director. Majed El-Kedwany won Favorite Actor for Fiha Eih Ya‘ni, while Shujoon received Favorite Actress for Ars Al-Nar.

Competition extended beyond the arts to sports, entertainment production, and digital influence, with Yassine Bounou crowned Best Male Athlete and Laila Al-Qahtani as Best Female Athlete. Influencer awards went to Rayan Al-Ahmari and Rateel Al-Shahri, highlighting the diversity of public impact.

Honorary awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Farouk Hosny and Forest Whitaker, and the Personality of the Year award given to Millie Bobby Brown, underscored the global dimension of the event and cemented the Joy Awards as a platform that transcends Arab borders.

An Event Beyond Awards

The strength of the Joy Awards lies in their direct reflection of public taste, as winners are chosen through audience voting, making the competition fiercer and the results more impactful. The awards also serve as a genuine platform to support young talents and encourage artists to deliver bolder, more innovative work.

Thus, Joy Awards 2026 were not merely an awards night, but a comprehensive artistic spectacle that confirmed the peak of competition in the Arab entertainment world, and established Riyadh as the capital of the region’s most influential artistic moment.