BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards viewers switch off over same complaint

Viewers of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards took to social media to highlight the same complaint during Tuesday's programme.

The event was hosted Clare Balding, Alex Scott, and Gabby Logan and from the start of the ceremony viewers were critical of the all-female presenting line-up.

A large number of comments were left online by people voicing their discontent with the absence of male presenters. The backlash came despite the presenters' extensive careers in sports broadcasting.

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One critic tweeted: "#SPOTY no male presenters? What happened to the politically correct inclusively? Guess it only works one way." Another wrote: "Time to turn over! Used to love this programme its absolutely sh*** now!"

Someone else said: "It wasn't a lot of years ago that I'd never miss a minute of #SPOTY. Now I can't stand to watch a minute of @BBCSport's WOKEy approach. Total c***."

One other critic asked: "Whatever happened to males sports presenters? #BBC #SPOTY." Despite the negative comments, others defended the decision, including a fan who retorted: "SPOTY began in 1954, first female presenter was, I believe, Sue Barker in 1994 and now, in 2024, we have an all female presenting line up for the first time ever. Maybe you need a lie down."

"They've had three men for decades. Loads of sports shows have been nothing but men for decades and yet as soon as it's women it's a problem? Women do quite a lot of sport," read another comment.

Team GB's Keely Hodkingson was crowned the BBC Sports Personality of the Year during the show. The result meant heartbreak for fellow favourite Luke Littler, who finished as the runner-up at the glitzy event in MediaCity, Salford. The other nominated stars were footballer Jude Bellingham, triathlete Alex Yee, Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey and cricketer Joe Root.

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