The 3rd Critics' Choice Real TV Awards, presented by the Broadcast Television Journalists Association and NPACT, which recognizes excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms, were held on June 21, 2021. The nominations were announced on June 2, 2021.
Winners and nominees Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold: Programs Best Competition Series Best Competition Series: Talent/VarietyThe Great British Baking Show (Netflix) (tie) RuPaul's Drag Race (VH1) (tie) The Amazing Race (CBS) Top Chef (Bravo) Tough as Nails (CBS)The Masked Singer (Fox) (tie) The Voice (NBC) (tie) American Idol (ABC) Legendary (HBO Max) World of Dance (NBC) Best Unstructured Series Best Structured SeriesDeaf U (Netflix) Crikey! It's the Irwins (Discovery+) Lenox Hill (Netflix) The Real World Homecoming: New York (Paramount+) RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (VH1)Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food Network) (tie) The Oprah Conversation (Apple TV+) (tie) A World of Calm (HBO Max) History of Swear Words (Netflix) Queer Eye (Netflix) Best Business Show Sports ShowShark Tank (ABC) Restaurant: Impossible (Food Network) Streets of Dreams with Marcus Lemonis (CNBC) Undercover Billionaire (Discovery Channel) Wahl Street (HBO Max)30 for 30 (ESPN) Defying Gravity (YouTube Originals) Last Chance U: Basketball (Netflix) Peyton's Places (ESPN+) Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO) Best Crime/Justice Series Best Ongoing Documentary SeriesI'll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO) Murder Among the Mormons (Netflix) Murder on Middle Beach (HBO) The Ripper (Netflix) The Vow (HBO) Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller (National Geographic)Frontline (PBS) American Masters (PBS) Dear... (Apple TV+) POV (PBS) The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth (Showtime) The Vow (HBO) Best Limited Documentary Series Best Short Form Series1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything (Apple TV+) Amend: The Fight for America (Netflix) I'll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO) Love Fraud (Showtime) Murder on Middle Beach (HBO) Secrets of the Whales (Disney+/National Geographic)Issa Rae Teaches Creating Outside the Lines (MasterClass) First Person (Snapchat) Lady Parts (ellentube) OWN Your Vote (NowThis/OWN) Ready Jet Cook (Food Network Kitchen) Culinary Show Game ShowTaste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi (Hulu) Amy Schumer Learns to Cook (Food Network) Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines (Discovery+) Nailed It! (Netflix) Top Chef (Bravo)Jeopardy! (CBS Television/Syndicated) 25 Words or Less (Fox/Syndicated) Supermarket Sweep (ABC) Weakest Link (NBC) Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (ABC) Best Travel/Adventure Series Best Animal/Nature ShowStanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (CNN) Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham (Starz) Running Wild with Bear Grylls (National Geographic) Somebody Feed Phil (Netflix) The Great Food Truck Race (Food Network)Life in Colour with David Attenborough (Netflix) The Incredible Dr. Pol (Nat Geo Wild) Secrets of the Whales (Disney+/National Geographic) That Animal Rescue Show (Paramount+) Wizard of Paws (BYU TV) Best Lifestyle: Fashion/Beauty Show Best Relationship ShowQueer Eye (Netflix) Haute Dog (HBO Max) Shine True (Fuse) Skin Decision: Before and After (Netflix) Stylish with Jenna Lyons (HBO Max)Love on the Spectrum (Netflix) 90 Day Fiancé (TLC) Couples Therapy (Showtime) Indian Matchmaking (Netflix) My Love: Six Stories of True Love (Netflix) Best Live Show Best Lifestyle: Home/Garden ShowDancing with the Stars (ABC)House Hunters International (HGTV) Martha Knows Best (HGTV) Property Brothers: Forever Home (HGTV) Rock the Block (HGTV) Selling Sunset (Netflix)
Personality Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series Show HostRuPaul's Drag Race (VH1) Crikey! It's the Irwins (Discovery+) Queer Eye (Netflix) The Real World Homecoming: New York (Paramount+) Top Chef (Bravo)John Oliver on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) Oprah Winfrey on The Oprah Conversation (Apple TV+) Padma Lakshmi on Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi (Hulu) RuPaul on RuPaul's Drag Race (VH1) Stanley Tucci on Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (CNN) Female Star of the Year Male Star of the YearSandra Lee on Dr. Pimple Popper (TLC) Nicole Byer on Nailed It! (Netflix) Michelle Visage on RuPaul's Drag Race (VH1) Padma Lakshmi on Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi (Hulu) Samantha Bee on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)Phil Rosenthal on Somebody Feed Phil (Netflix) Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food Network) RuPaul on RuPaul's Drag Race (VH1) Stanley Tucci on Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (CNN) Trevor Noah on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
Achievement Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Programming by a Network or Streaming Platform Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction ProductionHBO Max Discovery+ Disney+ Hulu National Geographic NetflixSharp Entertainment The Intellectual Property Corporation Jigsaw Productions Renegade 83 Critics' Choice Real TV Impact AwardAlex Trebek
Most major nominations Programs that received multiple nominations are listed below, by number of nominations per work and per network:
+ Shows that received multiple nominations Nominations Show Network 5 RuPaul's Drag Race VH13 Queer Eye Netflix Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy CNN Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi Hulu Top Chef Bravo2 Crikey! It's the Irwins Discovery+ Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Food Network I'll Be Gone in the Dark HBO Murder on Middle Beach HBO Nailed It! Netflix The Oprah Conversation Apple TV+ The Real World Homecoming: New York Paramount+ Secrets of the Whales Disney+/National Geographic Somebody Feed Phil Netflix The Vow HBO
+ Nominations by network Nominations Network 22 Netflix 8 HBO 6 HBO Max VH15 ABC Food Network National Geographic4 Apple TV+ Discovery+ HGTV Hulu3 Bravo CBS CNN Disney+ NBC Paramount+ PBS Showtime 2 Fox TLC
Most major wins
+ Wins Show Network2RuPaul's Drag Race VH1
+ Wins by network Wins Network 6 Netflix2 ABC Apple TV+ HBO VH1
References