After a tumultuous year for the sporting world, this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards seems to hold even more importance than usual. The coronavirus pandemic has had a dramatic impact on pretty much every event in the spectator sport calendar, but there have still been many exciting moments in 2020 that have furthered the careers of our favourite athletes.
The 2020 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards will take place on Sunday 20th December. The live broadcast from Salford will be hosted by the BBC’s most prominent sports presenters – Gary Linekar, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan, as well as beloved pundit Alex Scott, as they take a look back at sport stars’ most outstanding performances and achievements from the past year.
The six nominees for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award are:
- Tyson Fury – boxing
- Stuart Broad – cricket
- Hollie Doyle – horse racing
- Jordan Henderson – football
- Ronnie O’Sullivan – snooker
- Lewis Hamilton – Formula 1
Besides the main BBC Sports Personality of the year prize, the event involves seven other awards, including Team of the Year, Coach of the Year and Unsung Hero. Many anticipate that Marcus Rashford will receive a special award of some kind for his pioneering work in tackling food poverty in the UK.
Here’s a closer look at the contenders for 2020’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards, bearing in mind that they have navigated continually disrupted schedules and the various other challenges the sporting world has faced this year.
Tyson Fury
The Gypsy King himself has claimed two heavyweight champion titles, the most memorable of which was won against Deontay Wilder who he defeated to worldwide acclaim in their February rematch. Fury has often spoken openly about his personal demons, dealing with mental health issues and addictions in the past; his triumphant comeback this year marked another victory for the Mancunian, both professionally and personally.
Stuart Broad
Broad’s bowling skills set him a head and shoulders above his contemporaries, and after being dropped from the initial summer series match, the Nottingham-born bowler made a strong comeback for the last two Test matches, seizing victory for England in both. Taking 16 wickets in total, Broad surpassed 500 total wickets taken for England over his career.
Hollie Doyle
Unquestionably the jockey to remember in 2020, Doyle smashed her own record when she rode the most winning runners of any British woman in a year. At Windsor, she beat odds of 899-1 by riding five winners, and claimed her first Royal Ascot victory in 2020 as well. The Sunday Times voted her Sportswoman of the Year, and she’s still just 24 years old.
Jordan Henderson
Since aiding their Champions League and FIFA World Cup victories in the previous year, Henderson captained Liverpool to a runaway win and their first league triumph in 30 years, smashing the competition out of the water and lifting the Premier League trophy in 2020, much to the joy of loyal Kopites everywhere.
Ronnie O’Sullivan
The 45-year-old potting legend has shown no inclination towards retirement just yet, winning his sixth world title in 2020 and becoming the oldest to do so in over four decades. O’Sullivan, affectionately known as The Rocket, has beaten records left right and centre throughout his career, but this is the first BBC ever Sports Personality nomination for the Essex-born snooker pro.
Lewis Hamilton
Arguably the biggest name in F1 history, Hamilton has now matched Schumacher’s seven-title record and, despite contracting COVID-19 in 2020, managing to land another title for the fourth year in a row. Hamilton also holds the record for pole positions at a staggering 98, surpassing Schumacher’s by seven.
Who Won BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2019?
In 2019, England cricketer Ben Stokes took the title for helping achieve an outstanding victory over New Zealand at Lords. Last year’s event saw some of the same people nominated for the title, including Lewis Hamilton, who came second in the public vote.
How to Vote for BBC Sports Personality of the Year
Voting takes place during the live show on Sunday. Viewers can vote for who they want to win in each category by phone (the number will be revealed during the show) or via the BBC website. All details will be shared during the programme’s airing.
Best Odds BBC Sports Personality 2020
Find all the best betting odds for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards at NetBet Sport, where you can enjoy the most competitive, up-to-date odds across various sports and markets. Lewis Hamilton currently sits as the bookies’ favourite, but do you suspect Tyson Fury will grab another victory this year? Or are you backing the only woman on the list, Hollie Doyle? Place your bets easily within our virtual betting slip and make Sunday’s broadcast even more entertaining for yourself.
This year’s ceremony will take place in front of a virtual audience and will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 20:00 to 22:00 GMT on Sunday 20th December.
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