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When is BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2017? SPOTY date, time, past winners and tickets

Getty Images
Getty Images

With the year coming to a close, it’s time to turn our attention to one of sport’s most prestigious awards.

The BBC Personality of the Year will pay homage to the leading sportsperson of 2017, with the winner selected by the public from a shortlist drawn up based on sporting achievements and impact over and beyond their sport.

This year competition is fierce as we approach the final ceremony on December 17.

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

Here is everything you need to know about the award...

When is the SPOTY?

The 63rd gala awards evening will be held at the Echo Arena on Sunday, December 17 and will be hosted by Gary Lineker, Gabby Logan and Clare Balding.

The programme will begin at 6.45pm on BBC One. The event will also feature music throughout the evening from the BBC Philharmonic.


How to follow the SPOTY?

The awards ceremony will include the presentation of eight awards and will be shown in full on BBC One.

Standard Sport will bring you live updates throughout the evening.

Photo: Genting Bet
Photo: Genting Bet

Where can I buy tickets?

Tickets are still available from £45 and can be purchased online at www.echoarena.com/spoty2017.


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.

A true contender: Anthony Joshua Photo: Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
A true contender: Anthony Joshua Photo: Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

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.

Shortlisted: Sir Mo Farah (Jonathan Brady/PA)
Shortlisted: Sir Mo Farah (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The 2017 shortlist

Nominee

Sport

Elise Christie

Short-track speed skating

Sir Mo Farah

Athletics

Chris Froome

Cycling

Anthony Joshua

Boxing

Lewis Hamilton

F1

Harry Kane

Football

Johanna Konta

Tennis

Jonnie Peacock

Paralympics

Adam Peaty

Swimming

Jonathan Rea

Motorcycling

Anya Shrubsole

Cricket

Bianca Walkden

Taekwondo

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.

Shortlisted: Johanna Konta (Emmanuel Wong/Getty Images)
Shortlisted: Johanna Konta (Emmanuel Wong/Getty Images)

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

Year

Winner

2007

Joe Calzaghe

2008

Chris Hoy

2009

Ryan Giggs

2010

Tony McCoy

2011

Mark Cavendish

2012

Bradley Wiggins

2013

Andy Murray

2014

Lewis Hamilton

2015

Andy Murray

2016

Andy Murray

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.

(AFP/Getty Images)
(AFP/Getty Images)

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.

SPOTY Fun Facts

1. BBC Sport’s Personality of the Year was created in 1954 by Sir Paul Fox, then editor of the magazine show Sportsview, and was presented by Peter Dimmock. The end of year television spectacle attracted an audience of 12m.

2. The first ever award was handed to athlete Chris Chataway who picked up the prestigious accolade in recognition of setting the 5,000m world record.

3. Andy Murray is the first sportsperson to have won the prestigious award more than once. The tennis star picked up the coveted award in 2013, 2015 and 2016.

4. The event had been hosted at various venues around London before the decision was taken to move the show outside the capital to give the public the chance to attend the staging.

Bianca Walkden, who successfully defended her world taekwondo heavyweight title in South Korea, completes the 12-strong list.


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.

Odds (via Betfair, UK users only)