BBC Sports Personality Of The Year LIVE: Latest News And Pictures From Salford Ceremony With Keely Hodgkinson Favourite To Take Home The Award After Olympics Gold Medal

Keely Hodgkinson, SPOTY favourite, speaking on the red carpet:

I mean, where to start?

When I said that 2024 has been a busy year for sport, I really wasn’t lying. It has been rammed with action from start to finish.

With so much happening, I reckon a few of you may need a refresh. I’m here to help.

For football fans in England, it has been a bonkers year. Not because of what has happened in domestic football, though.

The Three Lions managed to make it to a second consecutive Euros final in July and this time there was real hope that the men’s team would finally bring it home, after so many decades of hurt.

Once again, though, they were bridesmaids. Gareth Southgate’s men were beaten narrowly by Spain in July’s final in Berlin and just days later the manager resigned from his position after eight years.

If the summer wasn’t chaotic enough, we were then treated to the Olympics and Paralympics where nominees Keely Hodgkinson, Alex Yee, and Sarah Storey all struck gold in Paris.

And while the Games will not be looked upon as a highly successful one in years to come, there were still a catalogue of magical moments that fans and athletes will hold with them for a lifetime.

Elsewhere, Carlos Alcaraz defended his Wimbledon title in Tennis, beating Novak Djokovic for the second year running just two months after winning his first French Open title.

Both England men’s and women’s cricket teams suffered humiliating exits from the T20 World Cup in what was not the best of years for the sport.

As I said, it was a busy, busy year…

I’ve got to say, I absolutely love it when SPOTY comes around!

I mean, it’s a staple of British sports, I watch it year in and year out without fail. Who doesn’t enjoy celebrating British success?

This year I am as excited as ever, we have a brilliant line-up who have all achieved incredible things this year.

Thankfully, we don’t have to wait long until the awards get underway.

The show starts at 19:00 GMT and should be wrapped up after two hours, with the main award being the last to be presented.

It’s going to be a very fun evening.

David Coverdale Mail Sport, in Manchester:

The contenders for tonight’s prize are starting to arrive.

It feels quite bizarre seeing them dressed up as they are rather than in their usual sporting gear.

Keely Hodgkinson, Alex Yee, and Luke Littler are all in the building glammed up to the gills.

You’ve got to bring your A-game on a night like this, haven’t you?

Before we get into the real build-up, you all have to know who are actually going for the main showpiece.

This year there are a variety of different athletes with all six nominees coming from different sports.

Here are the six contenders for the Sports Personality of the Year award:

Right, while we all know the big award that is up for grabs, it’s not the only prize on offer.

So, that being said, I thought I would take you through all of the award categories to look out for this evening.

To say 2024 has been action-packed with sport doesn’t even do it justice.

This year has been stacked with spectacular moments across a variety of different sports, if I had to list all of them I would be here forever.

We were treated to an incredible Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, while in the football world, the European Championship was held in Germany. Many England fans won’t forget that one in a hurry.

There has also been two T20 World Cups, the World Athletics Championships, and plenty of drama in the Tennis world.

It’s fair to say, choosing a Sports Personality of the Year after everything that has gone will not exactly be easy. But still, it’s got to be done.

I mean, there have been plenty of individual performances.

It’s the time of the year when we celebrate some of Britain’s best athletes and their achievements.

As per usual, it’s been a sensational year of sport in this country, there have been so many memorable moments.

I would go through them now, but we have all evening for that.

While the BBC’s flagship awards show will be celebrating many athletes and teams across the country, there is one award that tops them all.

That’s right, the Sports Personality of the Year…

The question is, who will join last year’s winner Mary Earps, and become part of a legendary group of sportspeople.

We’ll find out later tonight, but before then we have a lot of build-up to go through.

Make sure you stick with us!