BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2017 live: Follow the awards ceremony from the Echo Arena

The BBC Personality of the Year is upon us once again, honouring the leading sportspersons of 2017.

The winner of the main prize is selected by the public from a shortlist drawn up based on sporting achievements and impact over and beyond their sport.

The event returns to the northern city of Liverpool for the second time and will include performances from Noel Gallagher, Rebecca Ferguson and Rag’n’Bone Man

Follow live updates from the ceremony below...

Who is in the running?

World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua leads the nominations for the 2017 awards.

The 28-year-old former Olympic champion, currently ranked the world’s top heavyweight, is the odds-on favourite to win the award after his victory over Vladimir Kitschko at Wembley in April earned him the WBA and IBO belts to add to his existing IBF title.

But he faces competition from 2014 award winner Lewis Hamilton, who won a fourth Formula One drivers’ title last month, and Chris Froome, who won his fourth Tour de France in the summer.

Mo Farah, who won the world 10,000 metres title in London but narrowly missed out on the 5,000m double in his final track season, is also on the list along with Tottenham striker Harry Kane. He was the Premier League’s top scorer in 2016-17 for the second season in a row and was England’s leading scorer in their successful World Cup qualifying campaign.

The 2017 shortlist

British women’s tennis number one Johanna Konta is also among the nominees having reached her best singles world ranking of four in the summer after the biggest win of her career at the Miami Open, where she beat Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki in the semi and final, and then reached the last four at Wimbledon.

Short-track speed-skater Elise Christie has been recognised after becoming the first European woman to win the 1000m, 1500m and overall gold at the World Championships in Rotterdam in March.

Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Rea, who secured a third successive World Superbikes title, is also on the list, as is Jonnie Peacock after he secured gold at the IPC World Athletics Championships in the T44 100m.

Swimmer Adam Peaty’s record-breaking achievements at the World Aquatics Championships have been recognised.

SPOTY previous winners

The 22-year-old Olympic champion retained his 100m and 50m breaststroke titles, breaking his own world record twice in the shorter event and becoming the first man to swim the distance in under 26 seconds.

England women’s cricketer Anya Shrubsole makes the list for her performance as they won the World Cup on home soil.

The medium-pacer claimed six for 46, the best figures in the final at Lord’s, to turn the match on its head with India needing just 38 from 44 balls with seven wickets in hand.

How is the SPOTY decided?

The nominees are the 12 leading sportspeople selected by a panel based on the following criteria:

• Reflects UK sporting achievements on the national and/or international stage;

• Represents the breadth and depth of UK sports, and;

• Takes into account 'impact' over and beyond the sport or sporting achievement in question.

The shortlist is then put to a public vote on the night of the awards and the athlete with the biggest public backing is crowned Sports Personality of the Year.

The recipient must either be British or reside and play a significant amount of their sport in the United Kingdom.

The most recent award winner is tennis player Andy Murray who scooped up the prize last year.

What are the other awards up for grabs?

Team of the Year, Coach of the Year, Overseas Sports Personality of the Year, Young Sports Personality of the Year, Helen Rollason Award for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity, Lifetime Achievement Award and the Get Inspired Unsung Hero.

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