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BBC Sports Personality Of The Year has been slammed by viewers for its ‘woke‘ presenting line up.
Sports fans were so appalled they even threatened to switch off as soon as the awards show started on Tuesday evening.
The ceremony, which honoured sports stars for their outstanding achievements throughout the year, was hosted by Clare Balding, Alex Scott, and Gabby Logan.
The trio took to the stage at the start of the show to welcome the audience, but just minutes in to the hotly-anticipated broadcast, viewers flooded social media with complaints.
Many took issue with the lack of male representation and objected to the all-female line up.
Despite the stars’ extensive sport and broadcasting experience across gymnastics, football, swimming, rugby and horse racing, many were frustrated that not a single male presenter appeared on the show.
BBC Sports Personality of the Year has been slammed by viewers for its ‘ woke ‘ presenting line up which was led by Clare Balding , Alex Scott , and Gabby Logan
The Ceremony, which honoured sports stars for their outstanding achievements throughout the year and was hosted by it’s first all female line up (L to R Gabby Logan, Clare Balding and Alex Scott)
The Ceremony, which honoured sports stars for their outstanding achievements throughout the year and Olympic sprinter Keely Hodgkinson took home the top award
Viewers complained that the show was not being inclusive and that they wanted to see more diverse hosts.
They fumed on social media: ‘#SPOTY no male presenters? What happened to the politically correct inclusively. Guess it only works one way’.
While another wrote: ‘Why is it ok to have all three presenters of #spoty women, but they’d never have three men? Men do quite a lot of sport, BBC!’
And a third complained: ‘Nice bit of diverse and equal choice of presenters by the @BBCSport for #SPOTY. Not a male in sight. And they wonder why almost a million viewers have cancelled their TV licences.’
One viewer simply wrote: ‘No male presenters this year on SPOTY ??’
Others complained that the BBC was ‘prejudiced’ and fumed that they didn’t want to pay their TV license because of the line up.
They wrote: ‘@BBCSport why on Earth can’t we have a male presenter for sports personality of the year. Gross misrepresentation, Clare is amazing but we need a balance. We pay for this!!!’
And another said: ‘Not one male presenter for tonight’s ludicrous BBC Sports personality of the year. That can’t be a result of anything other than a prejudiced approach to selection @BBCSport’.
Viewers complained that the show was not being inclusive and that they wanted to see more diverse hosts and took to social media to vent their frustration – but not everyone was in agreement
One person took to X to comment: ‘So Gabby Logan, Alex Scott and Clare Balding are presenting this year’s BBC’s Sports personality of the year… can we please have at least one male presenter!’
And one viewer was so disappointed, they confessed they had switched off: ‘I used to love #spoty it when it was called Sports Review of the year. Turned it off, Alex Scott is just unwatchable, the other two presenters are fine, I just can’t listen to her anymore. Sad that it’s fallen. Whole programme is disjointed
But not everyone agreed, and any fans took to social media to defend the choice of hosts.
One wrote: ‘I thought the much criticised Alex Scott was excellent as a lead presenter on Sports Personality of the Year tonight. She doesn’t deserve the sometimes snide comments she gets and is now a very competent presenter.’
While another commented sarcastically: ‘SPOTY have seriously let down minority groups among their presenters this year. Not a single token middle aged white man.’
And a third defended the line up, writing: ‘SPOTY began in 1954, first female presenter was, I believe, Sue Barker in 1994 and now, in 2024, we have an all female presenting line up for the first time ever. Maybe you need a lie down.’
The award ceremony this year was a stellar night for young talent with the likes of darts champion Luke Littler and Olympic medallist Keely Hodgkinson receiving nods of their sporting achievements.
But it was Olympic medallist Keely Hodgkinson, 22, who went home with the top honour after winning gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics earlier this year.
Keely was the favourite to win the historic title and is now the fourth woman in a row to win SPOTY after Emma Raducanu, Beth Mead and Mary Earps
The sensational sportswoman beat out superstar darts player Luke Littler to take home the trophy
Triathlete Alex Yee turned silver into gold at this years Olympics dramatically passing Hayden Wilde in the closing stages of the triathlon in Paris but missed out on the main gong of the evening
Jude Bellingham was not present at last night’s event, but was also in the running for the historic title
The athlete was the favourite to win the historic title and is now the fourth woman in a row to win SPOTY after Emma Raducanu, Beth Mead and Mary Earps.
The runner was up against some stiff competition after a formidable year of sports with the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris earlier this year, as well as Wimbledon, the EUROs and several World Cups.
The sensational sportswoman beat out superstar darts player Luke Littler, triathlete Alex Yee, footballer Jude Bellingham, para-cyclist Sarah Storey, and cricketer Joe Root for the historic title.
The Olympic 800 metres champion had an astonishing year, with the 22-year-old striking gold at the Paris Olympics as well as defending her European title.
Not only did she bring home several medals, she also became the sixth fastest woman in history setting a new British record of one minute and 54.61 seconds.