Need to know
The BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year awards took place at Salford’s MediaCityUk on Thursday evening, with a whole host of athletes from a number of different sports making the shortlist
Everything you need to know after Rory McIlroy claimed the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award while Team Europe won Team of the Year for 2025…
- BBC SPOTY awards land in Salford: The BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year awards took place at Salford’s MediaCityUk on Thursday night. The event was hosted by a presenting trio of Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott.
- A wealth of stars made the shortlist: On the shortlist for the 2025 SPOTY award were Luke Littler, Chloe Kelly, Hannah Hampton, Lando Norris, Ellie Kildunne and Rory McIlroy. Meanwhile, the TOTY shortlist was made up of the England Lionesses, the English Red Roses and Luke Donald’s Team Europe Ryder Cup team.
- A number of awards given and received: Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe received the Helen Rollason Award while Arsenal legend Thierry Henry was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award. Michelle Agyemang won the Young Sports Personality of the Year Award, while Armand Duplantis took home World Sports Star.
- Three-name shortlist was announced: Toward the end of the ceremony, voting was temporarily paused as McIlroy, Kildunne and Norris were named in the final three-athlete shortlist.
- Sarina Wiegman won Coach of the Year: The Dutch manager was thankful to her England players and her coaching staff as she accepted the award. Wiegman successfully guided the Lionesses to glory at Euro 2025, successfully defending the title they won three years ago.
- Choir pay touching tribute to late stars: The Bantam of the Opera performed a touching rendition of Take Me Home, Country Roads in a tribute to a number of athletes and reporters who have passed away this year. Footage was also played to remember Diogo Jota and Ricky Hatton, among others.
- Team Europe win TOTY: McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood collected the Team of the Year award for Team Europe, after their emphatic Ryder Cup win at Bethpage Black earlier this year. In his speech, McIlroy thanked his captain, vice-captains, team-mates and backroom staff.
- McIlroy caps off ceremony with SPOTY: McIlroy was named the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year at the end of the ceremony with the Northern Irishman then thanking the voters, his friends and family and the BBC. It’s the first time the 36-year-old has won the accolade.
- Littler sees double snub: Not only did the darts prodigy miss out on the BBC’s SPOTY award, but he also had the chance to clinch the Young SPOTY award, too, only to be outdone by Agyemang. Littler also wasn’t present at the awards – as a result of training for the PDC World Championship.
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