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Rory McIlroy is the favourite to win tonight’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, but the Masters champion faces stiff competition from Lionesses Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton, England rugby star Ellie Kildunne, as well as darts phenomenon Luke Littler and the newly crowned F1 world champion Lando Norris.
McIlroy enjoyed a stunning year in which he finally completed the grand slam, winning that elusive first Green Jacket via a dramatic play-off against his friend Justin Rose at Augusta National. McIlroy and Rose teamed up in New York a few months later to win the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, and victory in the Race to Dubai capped arguably the greatest season of the Northern Irishman’s glittering career.
England Euro 2025 triumph in Switzerland this summer captured the public’s imagination, with goalkeeper Hampton their outstanding player and Kelly their hero in crucial moments, including scoring the winning penalty kick. England’s Rugby World Cup win was another inspirational story, sparked by the magical Kildunne, following a heartbreaking defeat by New Zealand in 2021.
Littler will struggle to produce a better season, sweeping up a string of major darts titles including his first World Championship crown, although its distant place in the sporting calendar – the world final was way back in January – may count against him in the public vote. Norris’s world title was far more recent as he became Britain’s 11th F1 champion in Abu Dhabi earlier this month.
There are a number of other awards this evening, including Young Sports Personality – in which Littler is the favourite – and prizes for the outstanding coach, team and world star, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award, to be presented to the great Arsenal striker Thierry Henry.
Follow all the latest updates from the 2025 Sports Personality of the Year awards below
Sports Personality of the Year awardsWATCH: Thierry Henry reflects on career after Lifetime Achievement honour
We’ve been down on the red carpet in Manchester this evening and had an exclusive chat with Thierry Henry before he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award
“I feel privileged because I had the opportunity to play with great players and great teams and great coaches,” he said told The Independent.
When speaking about those who inspired him, the 48-year-old said: “A lot of people along the way, whether I can name people that did believe in me and the ones that didn’t believe in me. You have to use that as a way to make it yourself. It always has to come from within.”
BBC SPOTY: Thierry Henry on belief, legacy and lifetime achievement
Thierry Henry reflected on winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award as he encouraged people to “believe in yourself”. Considered one of the greatest strikers of all time, the Arsenal FC legend spoke to The Independent as he prepared to collect his award on Thursday (18 December). “I feel privileged because I had the opportunity to play with great players and great teams and great coaches,” he said: When speaking about those who inspired him, the 48-year-old said: “A lot of people along the way, whether I can name people that did believe in me and the ones that didn’t believe in me, Anyway, you have to, you have to use that as a, as a way to, to, to make it yourself. “It always has to come from within.”
Luke Baker18 December 2025 20:10
Luke Littler reflects on his whirlwind year
Luke Littler is the third nominee that we hear from this evening. He’s mid-tournament at the moment so comes in via video link.
On being defending champion at the worlds this year: “It’s different. You’ve got that defending champion status on your mind. First game I got the win and we’ll go back down probably on Sunday, to try and get another and come back after Christmas.
How he keeps his focus: “We really have to focus, especially at the World Darts Championship, the last tournament of the year. The biggest tournament of the year and the fans bring the atmosphere. Year on year at Ally Pally, it’s going to get even bigger and bigger.
On future targets: “There’s a few titles on the list that I have not ticked off yet. I’ll go and chase them next year but right now it;s all focused for the World Darts Championship.”
(David Davies/PA Wire)
Luke Baker18 December 2025 20:08
Thierry Henry delighted to receive Lifetime Achievement Award
Thierry Henry has accepted his Lifetime Achievement Award and reflected on the honour.
Henry said: “I just wanted to thank BBC Sport for thinking of me for this award and I wouldn’t have been able to do that without playing with great players, great teams and great coaches. So I want to thank everybody for that. Yes, I’m French and proud to be, but I’m also a Londoner.
“I want to say thank you to everyone that believed in me and also the ones that didn’t believe me. Trust me, the list is long!
Message to his children presenting the award: “I’ll speak to my kids personally. Thank you. My biggest fear now is not being a good dad. For a long time, I was a guest in our own house. I forgot to be present along the way and didn’t spend not only time but quality time.
“You are educating me, you’re saving me from my traumas. And you are showing me what it is. Thank you for being you.”
Luke Baker18 December 2025 20:02
Lifetime Achievement Award winner – Thierry Henry
As we already knew, Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry has won the Lifetime Achievement Award. A lovely moment as his children are on stage to present the award.
Henry is typically self-effacing in his acceptance speech. A class act all round.
(David Davies/PA Wire)
Luke Baker18 December 2025 19:55
Why Lando Norris and Luke Littler missed Sports Personality of the Year awards
Lando Norris apologised after missing the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards less than two weeks after he won the F1 Drivers’ Championship.
The McLaren driver revealed he was away from home on a skiing trip as the Briton enjoyed his off-season and continued to celebrate his maiden world title won at the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.
Norris and world darts champion Luke Littler were the only two of the six-athlete shortlist to be absent from the awards ceremony in Salford, with Rory McIlroy, Chloe Kelly, Hannah Hampton and Ellie Kildunne all attending.
Jamie Braidwood18 December 2025 19:52
Rory McIlroy discusses his incredible year
Rory McIlroy talks to Clare Balding about his remarkable year that has culminate din him being favourite to win Spoty 2025.
On finally winning at Augusta: “I didn’t make it easy on myself. I think when you want something so much, the obstacle becomes yourself and I’ve had my chances at Augusta.
“I’ve been trying for 14 or 15 years to get that done. And I think when you go through the heartbreaks and when you go through everything that I went through… Even the way it all finished to in April [winning in a play-off] it just made it even sweeter.
On being a father: “Being a dad, it makes the losses a lot easier. It also makes the good moment’s even more special, you know, so to share that with Erica and Poppy, my whole family and they’ve watched me go through all of this just like I’m sure a lot of the public has and I feel like everyone’s been on this journey with me.”
(David Davies/PA Wire)
Luke Baker18 December 2025 19:51
Rory McIlroy welcomed to the stage
Our second nominee, Rory McIlroy, is in Manchester and gets welcomed to the stage after a rip-roaring VT detailing his achievements this year – becoming a grand slam winner but finally winning the Masters and helping Europe win away in the Ryder Cup.
He gets a HUGE ovation as he comes to the stage. If it was based on popularity in the room, I think McIlroy would win this at a canter…
(Getty Images)
Luke Baker18 December 2025 19:43
Lando Norris reflects on amazing F1 title
We hear from our first nominee for the main award this evening, F1 champion Lando Norris.
He’s not in Manchester this evening, as he’s taking a break skiing after winning the title but he videos in to chat to Alex Scott.
“Hello everyone. I’m very sorry that I cannot be with you all on this beautiful evening,” Norris apologises. “There’s a lot of incredible people there that I would have loved to have joined but I’m enjoying a little break.
On his title win: “For all of you, everyone watching all the fans around the world, had a great time. We had a great time too it’s just a lot more stressful inside the car! It takes a lot to win anything in the world. It takes a lot of effort from you as an individual but also from everyone inside the team. I just have to keep fighting. That was the one of the biggest things we learnt this year.
Was he fuelled by people questioning his bottle?: “I honestly tried to not read into too many things. I had a pretty important year for myself in terms of learning how to get the maximum out of myself as an athlete, how to deal with these things, because I got a bit of a taste last year of what it’s like to always fight for a championship.
“This year was again, that one level harder, but I’m fighting the best in the world. I’m fighting some incredible people, some incredible drivers. It was learning to understand what I needed to do to fight to try and achieve what we achieved in the end.
Does he get nervous?: “I would love to say I wasn’t but I get nervous all the time. I get nervous into every qualifying, into every race, every session because there’s a lot riding on it. You know this is this is my life. This is something I’ve been working on since I was a kid. And yeah, I get nervous but it’s also a siren. I learnt how to make nerves a positive thing, which is not an easy thing to do. It takes time and experience and takes understanding of yourself on how to get the most out of yourself. I learnt how to to deal with the pressure, how to to re-form under it, how to get the maximum out of myself. And that made my life easier to be honest.”
Lando Norris video-ed into the ceremony (David Davies/PA Wire)
Luke Baker18 December 2025 19:39
BBC reveal twist to Sports Personality of the Year voting
Voting for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year will look a lot different in 2025.
Lionesses duo Hannah Hampton and Chloe Kelly are joined by Red Roses superstar Ellie Kildunne on the shortlist, with Masters champion Rory McIlroy, darts sensation Luke Littler and newly-crowned Formula One world champion Lando Norris also nominated.
But, in a first for the Sports Personality of the Year award, there will be two stages to deciding the winner.
Here’s everything you need to know about the changes:
Jamie Braidwood18 December 2025 19:32
‘It gave me a massive focus during the hardest times I’ve ever lived through’
Helen Rollason Award winners Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe speak on stage after collecting their awards.
David Stancombe, father of Elsie, said: “I’m very grateful to accept the award tonight, but I’m just a dad keeping his promise to his little girl.
“Elsie wanted me to run London Marathon and I did. It gave me a massive focus during the hardest times I’ve ever lived through.
“It also gave me an opportunity to demonstrate a fraction of the bravery and determination Elsie showed. I’d just like to thank everyone who made it possible.”
Sergio Aguiar, father of Alice, added: “Thank you everyone for the award it means a lot to me, my wife, and my princess Alice.
“I want to dedicate this award to our three girls: Alice, Elsie and Bibi. Keep dancing. I want to spread Alice’s magic across the world. I am going to keep running and raising money for her foundation.”
(David Davies/PA Wire)
Luke Baker18 December 2025 19:29