Piers Morgan complains as Mary Earps wins Sports Personality of the Year

Piers Morgan has sparked a backlash after complaining that two Lionesses have been named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in a row. The TalkTV moaned on social media after England and Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps was awarded the title for 2023. Her win comes a year after Arsenal and England player Beth Mead was BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2022.

Morgan, 58, wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter: "Trying to get my head around two of England’s women footballers winning BBC SPOTY in successive years… while male sporting superstars with great personalities like Rory McIlroy, Frankie Dettori & Ronnie O’Sullivan have never won it."

Followers were unimpressed with Morgan's comment. One replied: "Rory McIlroy isn't British. He's Irish." Another said: "Because for many successive years, men have won it, the Lionesses won the Euros, and got to the world Cup final, these Lionesses have really shown young girls that they too, can have a place in football and succeed, super role models too. The public spoke..." And another commented: "Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) often reflects public sentiment, and success in women's football can capture the nation's attention. While individual achievements in other sports may be impressive, the popularity and impact of women's football should not be overlooked."

Another posted: "Trailblazers mate. With all due respect the likes of McIlroy, Dettori and O'Sullivan deliver exactly what is expected. The England women's team delivered something that has not been seen in English football in over 50 years." And one asked: "Did you complain when Andy Murray won 3 years out of 4 during the 2010s when men won every year?"

But some agreed Morgan had a point, with one writing: "Ronnie O’Sullivan never winning is strange and not justified especially when snooker is one game being live telecast on BBC."

The BBC Sports Personality Of The Year is voted for by the public. Mary Earps was nominated alongside horse racer Frankie Dettori and golfer Rory McIlroy this year, along with wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewitt, cricketer Stuart Broad and athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

Before Beth Mead won last year and tennis player Emma Raducanu won in 2021, a woman had not won Sports Personality of the Year for 14 years, when equestrian Zara Phillips took the title in 2006. Tennis plyaer Andy Murray has won three time, in 2013, 2015 and 2016.

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