MARTHA STEWART - YOUNG + THE RESTLESS LEADS DAYTIME EMMY NOMINATIONS

Top US soap THE YOUNG + THE RESTLESS will be leading the way at America's Daytime Emmys in April (06) after grabbing an astonishing 18 nominations yesterday (08FEB06).

Despite failing to land any of the leading acting nods, the daytime soap stands to storm the 33rd annual Emmy prizegiving at Los Angeles' Kodak Theatre on 28 April (06).

Among the big competitions, THE VIEW, THE ELLEN DeGENERES SHOW, LIVE WITH REGIS + KELLY and DR PHIL will fight it out for the Outstanding Talk Show prize.

Comedienne DeGeneres netted 11 nominations overall for her hit daily show.

Meanwhile, Outstanding Drama Series nods went to AS THE WORLD TURNS, GENERAL HOSPITAL, GUIDING LIGHT and The Young + The Restless.

And MARTHA STEWART, who spent much of 2005 behind bars for stock fraud, had every reason to celebrate - her MARTHA magazine show was nominated for Outstanding Service Show, while she was nominated for Best Service Show Host.

Actor CARROLL SPINNEY will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Emmys. Spinney is the man behind beloved children's characters BIG BIRD and OSCAR THE GROUCH.