BBC Sports Personality of the Year LIVE: Rory McIlroy favorite to take dwelling the award after Masters and Ryder Cup glory with F1 champ Lando Norris and Lionesses star Chloe Kelly additionally in competition
A nice VT from the BBC to kick things off, showing off some of the best sporting moments of the year including the FA Cup final, Wimbledon, and the Rugby World Cup.
Oasis in the background, of course – we are in Manchester (Salford)!
Balding, Logan and Scott then take to the stage, with cameras panning to various stars in the audience.
What a start to the evening and what a year of sport,’ Scott opens with.
The ceremony gets underway
And just as the broadcast starts for the ceremony, a snap of all three hosts together has come in: Clare Balding, Gabby Logan, and Alex Scott.
We are seated and ready!
It’s last year’s winner!
And right on cue, here’s Keely Hodgkinson!
Not up for the award this year, but here to support her fellow athletes.
The Lionesses in all their glory
Now that’s what you call a team!
Previous winners
Here’s a round-up of who has won the award in the most recent times:
2024: Keely Hodgkinson (athletics)
2023: Mary Earps (football)
2022: Beth Mead (football
2021: Emma Raducanu (tennis)
2020: Lewis Hamilton (Formula One)
2019: Ben Stokes (cricket)
2018: Geraint Thomas (cycling)
2017: Mo Farah (athletics)
2016: Andy Murray (tennis)
2015: Andy Murray (tennis)
A good luck message…
Speaking of the Lionesses, here’s a good luck message from the England set-up ahead of tonight.
Three players are up for individual awards, with the team also up for Team of the Year; versus the England women’s rugby team and the Ryder Cup team.
Say hello to your hosts!
I’ve not seen Clare Balding yet, but Gabby Logan has arrived alongside husband Kenny and daughter Lois, and Alex Scott is here, fresh from the jungle too, with partner Jess Glynn.
Hannah Hampton arrives
Here’s our latest nominee for the big one in Hannah Hampton!
Her national team manager, Sarina Wiegman, has arrived too.
They are hoping for individual and team success!
SPOTY winners odds
Right, these are changing rapidly, but here are the winners odds for the main event tonight, courtesy of our friends at SkyBet:
Rory McIlroy 4/7
Chloe Kelly 7/2
Lando Norris 7/2
Luke Littler 22/1
Ellie Kildunne 40/1
Hannah Hampton 66/1
Rory is the big, big favourite there. But we will see!
Rory McIlroy delivers again
It has been a frustrating time for McIlroy, having not won a major for over a decade – until this year.
The Northern Irishman rolled back the years when he won the Masters, completing the Grand Slam with a dramatic play-off victory.
A few months later, he anchored Team Europe to Ryder Cup victory in the United States, securing three-and-a-half points for his side.
Luke Littler makes history
Potentially the most household name on the list – if that even makes sense – is Luke Littler, the 18-year-old World Darts Champion.
Having burst on the scene at 16 and making it all the way to the world championship final before losing to good friend Luke Humphries, Littler was the player to follow, and he had an extraordinary debut year on the tour, which culminated in becoming world champion in January at the age of 16.
He’s also won the likes of the UK Open, the World Matchplay, the Grand Prix and the Players Championship Finals this year, and is currently in the midst of hunting another world title too.
Lando Norris achieves his destiny
Having run Max Verstappen close last year in the race to become Formula One world champion but ultimately falling well short, many wondered if Lando Norris had what it took to win the big one.
This year, though, he showed he did indeed. After team-mate Oscar Piastri had led the drivers’ standings for most of the season, Norris prevailed, seeing off a challenge from Verstappen in the final race of the season to become the 11th Brit to take the crown.