UK Edition
Mary Earps ‘humbled’ after winning BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award
Mary Earps said she felt “very honoured and humbled” to receive “the ultimate all-round sporting accolade”, after being named as the BBC’s Sports Personality of the year ahead of runner-up Stuart Broad to continue women’s sport’s strong recent run in the event.
Despite not lifting any trophies with her two teams – Manchester United and England – Earps had been the bookmakers’ red-hot favourite to win the night’s main award. The 30-year-old saved a penalty in August’s Women’s World Cup final, won that tournament’s Golden Glove and has received widespread acclaim for her campaign to push sportswear brand Nike to make England’s women’s goalkeeping kit available for sale.
The goalkeeper beat the former England bowler Broad in the public vote, with heptathlon world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson in third. Alfie Hewett, Rory McIlroy and Frankie Dettori were the other nominees.
“2023 has been wild in ways I couldn’t expect. I’m really, really grateful,” Earps told reporters after the live show had concluded. “I would not be here without my team-mates because we’ve achieved some incredible things over the last couple of years. While individual accolades are great, they only come after team success. This is their trophy just as much as mine.”
Earlier, on stage, after joking about making the journey up the steps in her heels feeling nauseated, Earps said: “This is just ‘wow’.” She also thanked her coaches and family, before concluding: “I don’t know what else to say so I’m going to get off the stage before I get the boot from Gary Lineker!”
“This is just ‘wow’,” Earps added on stage, after joking about making the journey up the steps in her heels feeling nauseous. She thanked her team-mates, coaches and family, continuing: “It’s not been the easiest journey, I wouldn’t be here without the help of so many people who have been with me through the really, really not-so-great times.
“I don’t know what else to say so I’m going to get off the stage before I get the boot from Gary Lineker!”
Earps’ victory at Media City in Salford means that a female athlete has won the top prize for the third year in a row, something which had not happened for 59 years, when long jumper Mary Rand’s 1964 win backed up Dorothy Hyman and Anita Lonsbrough’s wins in the previous two years. It means that, after a run of 14 consecutive male winners between Zara Phillips’ surprise triumph in 2006 and tennis star Emma Raducanu’s victory in 2021, women’s sport is currently enjoying a resurgent run in popularity in this vote.
Much of that is down to the Lionesses, with Earps following last year’s winner Beth Mead to produce back-to-back winners from football for the first time in Spoty’s 70-year history – the sport having not seen winner since Ryan Giggs in 2009, before Mead.
After nearly two years out of the national squad Earps was in the international doldrums between 2019 and England’s head coach Sarina Wiegman’s arrival in 2021. She added, earlier in the night, before she knew she had won: “It felt like I had lost my purpose in life. If Sarina hadn’t called me up, I never expected to play for England again. I just feel so grateful that I was able to play for my country on the world stage and enjoy it as much as I did.”
Earps, who kept three clean sheets during this summer’s World Cup, was ever-present for England at the tournament and last year’s triumphant Euros campaign. The form lead to her being named as the Fifa Best Goalkeeper of the Year in February. At club level, she set a new record of 14 clean sheets in a single Women’s Super League season, and helped Manchester United reach May’s Women’s FA Cup final.
It was also a successful night for Manchester City’s men’s team, although they weren’t able to attend the show because of their involvement in the Club World Cup. Their treble-winning success on the pitch was mirrored with a trio of prizes here: They were named ‘Team of the Year’, ahead of Europe’s Ryder Cup team, while Erling Haaland was named World Sport Star of the Year and Pep Guardiola was awarded the Coach of the Year prize.
Earlier, freestyle snowboarding star Mia Brookes was handed the Young Sports Personality prize, before Yorkshire’s Desmond Smith was named as the Unsung Hero. Former javelin world record holder Fatima Whitbread was honoured with The Helen Rollason Award, and spoke movingly of being abandoned as a baby and then experiencing abuse during her childhood.
Later, Alan Hansen presented the Lifetime Achievement award to Sir Kenny Dalglish, who gave a heartfelt and emotional speech, labelling his family as his “best team” and paying tribute to the Hillsborough victims.
The night’s other winners in full:
- Fatima Whitbread - The Helen Rollason Award
- Erling Haaland - World Sport Star of the Year
- Manchester City - Team of the Year.
- Pep Guardiola - Coach of the Year
- Mia Brookes - Young Sports Personality
- Desmond Smith, from Yorkshire, - Unsung Hero award.
- Sir Kenny Dalglish - Lifetime Achievement award.
So was Earps the right winner?
Well, she didn’t actually win anything, did she? And (not her fault) is probably better known for her shouting ‘f--- off’ in the final against Spain than her penalty save. But that’s probably down to the peculiar nature of the modern-day sports fan - give us a bit of controversy and a few expletives over actual sporting brilliance...BUT she was also voted the world’s best female keeper of the year and the importance of her battle with Nike to get her jersey on the market shouldn’t be underestimated either.
Here, two of the Telegraph Sport stable head into the stalls and come out on either side of the argument.
READ: Mary Earps is rightful winner of BBC’s Spoty award – or has she been rewarded for failure?
You can have your say here...
She was odds-on favourite
Obviously a popular winner because this is, to a large degree, a popularity contest.
Here’s what the shot-stopper has to say...
“I feel a bit sick...firstly, I am humbled to be on a list of incredible athletes. To hear your stories and been great, sports brings people together and to be on the list with you is humbling.”
“This is the ultimate all-round sporting accolade. This is just wow. It’s not been the easiest journey, I wouldn’t be here without the help of so many, people who’ve been with me through the really, really not-so-great times. I have done more than I can ever have imagined. Thanks to my team-mates and coaches. I am going to stop now before I get booted off my Gary Lineker!”
Coach and team of the year go to
Manchester City and Pep Guardiola.
Treble winners, deserve it...
They are in Saudi having just just beaten Urawa Reds in the Club World Cup...
Pep and Kyle Walker have done pre-recorded messages and look genuinely happy to have got the gongs, where they rate alongside, the FA Cup, Premier League and Champions League titles is anyone’s (probably rather easy) guess.
Sir Kenny is given the award by his mate Alan Hansen.
“Very grateful for this award...I will treasure this dearly. This is really a thank you speech to those behind me. A lot of people to thank all we tried to do with football is to make people happy and hope we did that. The support the fans gave us and me...I will always be grateful to everyone at all my clubs. For me it’s about winning and fortunately we were able to do that.”
“I am going to get emotional now...It’s fantastic to have some of my former players with me and my family, that’s the best team I have.”
“You mention Hillsborogh everyone knows [what happened]...but the people at Hillsborough are more important than football. As they say you never walk alone.”
King Kenny is honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award
A wonderful player, manager and man.
‘Football is a simple game made difficult by those who don’t understand it’ Well said...
In a good, moving piece we see his journey from Celtic to Merseyside.
Alan Hansen: ‘His brain was that quick it was incredible’
Kelly Cates: ‘It’s only since YouTube have I realised how good he was.’
We move from his footballing brilliance to his empathy and tireless support to the Hillsborough families when they needed it most, something that clearly took its toll.
From Anfield to leading Blackburn to Premier League glory - something he’s not really given enough credit for.
Hansen again: ‘He’s an amazing man’. Hear hear...
The Helen Rollason award
Goes to Fatima Whitbread.
We know her as the 1987 World Championship javelin gold winner (and that year’s Spoty winner). But her back story is moving. Abandoned as a child she spent formative years in children’s homes, and having found a family she focused on being the best javelin thrower in the world. Since then she’s worked tirelessly and campaigns for those who are brought up in care.
“I believe in these children and give them hope in their lives.”
Fatima on stage...and she delivers a passionate speech.
“I am no stranger to standing on this stage and speaking but this is a special award. Helen was a friend and she interviewed me when I won gold in 1987. She’s now giving me a chance to speak tonight for the children in care. Our children face huge challenges, so if we can invest in them early on [then the world will be a better place] and they can reach their full potential too.”
“We all have a moral and ethical responsible responsibility to help children in care...most of us have families and we give them unconditional love. I am working hard to rejuvenate the care system sector which it needs...so the children can have better outcomes. I am asking you...governments have come and go and not much has changed...so I am asking you to help and work together to build happier lives and a nicer kinder society. Need to work together to deliver that.”
Unsung Hero award
‘People who make others’ lives better through sport.’
You could say that these are the people that deserve some more of the cash that goes into the pockets of the already-minted stars and organisations, but that’s being cynical and determined to be positive, and in keeping with the ‘isn’t this great’ nature of the evening, I won’t say that...
The winner is: Desmond Smith. Desmond is a child of the Windrush generation and, due to discrimination, wasn’t able to play sport when he arrived in Sheffield. So he created a sports club, Sheffield Caribbean, so that he and his friends could play the sports they love. He is chairman of the club that is run for everyone.
He seems like a good man, humble, and now emotional giving his speech.
“People in their 80s are still involved...we run 11 football teams, three cricket teams. It’s well supported by kids from all races.”
Sixth nominee: Rory McIlroy
The wonderful golfer didn’t win a major so there have been a few fair questions as to why he’s on the list of six nominees. The footage we see is therefore all of the Ryder Cup. Tommy F and Shane L are the talking heads and they laud his leadership. One suspects that for all the Ryder Cup joy he’d have taken an elusive Green Jacket over that team glory (perhaps, I am being unfair...).
He, too, isn’t there tonight (he was at Anfield two days ago...). And he’s not even there via satellite. Instead it’s Tommy Fleetwood rather awkwardly taking the questions. Obviously he praises Rory ‘the best golfer of his generation’
Fifth nominee: Mary Earps
She was the Lionesses’ best player in Australia and the favourite for the gong tonight.
Perhaps, unfairly, will be remembered for shouting ‘F--- off’ in the final and not saving a penalty in the World Cup final..
On her increased fame...
“It’s been an incredible couple of years and beyond anything I could have imagined, to be here is surreal.”
On being a goalkeeping role model...
“I am trying to...it’s a lot different and trying to embrace it all. I am trying to represent a whole group of people and trying to show goalkeeping is cool.”
On her Nike shirts selling out within hours after a battle to get them on the market...
“So important to me, what I’ve learnt is that you have to show a lot character. Football is a vehicle and I am trying to change the world in a small way.”
Now time for the Lionesses
And the World Cup...
For all the wins and reaching the final, it’s easy to forget that it wasn’t the easiest, error-free route to the final (remember Lauren James’s red and the nerves against Nigeria?).
From the defeat in the final to Spain, we move to the controversy after it, namely Luis Rubiales’ shameful actions. A reminder that for all the huge strides being made in women’s sport there are still much more to do, and old attitudes to break down.
Now we move onto the next nominee...
Fourth nominee: Stuart Broad
‘If you think of the Ashes, you think of Stuart Broad’. It’s fair to say he absolutely loved the challenge of facing the Aussies. And when it comes to battles against the Baggy Greens he was, arguably, more important to England that his partner-in-crime and fellow great, Jimmy Anderson.
We see his last shot in Test cricket - a six. And his last ball bowled - a wicket. He clearly writes his own scripts...
On his memorable exit...
“I couldn’t have written a more fairy-tale story. To take the winning wicket with my last ball was pretty special.”
On why the Ashes brought out the best in him...
“The emotion, this series was full of emotion, and drama. The Aussies bring out the best in me.”
On the decision to retire..
“I made the decision for sure about three minutes before I knocked on Stokesy’s door [to let him know].”
On what Jimmy will do without him...
“He’ll take more wickets!”
A look back at the Ashes
With the ever-likable Greg James and Isa Gua.
Both the men’s and women’s series are covered, as is the kerfuffle at Lord’s (one of the more remarkable stories of the year). The men’s series was one for the ages and Bazball, despite some predictions, more than held up to the determined Australian challenge.
Which leads us on to...the third nominee.
First award: Young Sports Personality of the Year award
There have been some impressive past winners, Andy Murray and Wayne Rooney among them (what happened to them?).
This year’s winner is: Mia Brookes. The youngest Snowboarding world champion ever - she’s only 16 (probably makes the rest of us feel hugely inadequate). Can’t be easy being up on the stage at that age but she is remarkably calm and articulate, bravo.
Third nominee: Alfie Hewett
It’s been a remarkable journey for Hewett. He hated being in a wheelchair as a child. But once he found wheelchair tennis he said ‘it transformed him’. For those not in the know, he’s won a stunning 25 Grand Slam titles (both singles and doubles), five of those this year alone. The one title missing from his humungous trophy cabinet? Yep, you’ve guessed it, the Wimbledon singles title...
“[The sport] opened up a massive opportunity for me, I was a seven year-old who did like the wheelchair. From then everything changed and I embraced myself. When I look at my career, playing on all the major arena and to be here now is something I am grateful for.”
Now we're looking at how Man City won the treble
For obvious reasons there’s a lot of footage of the FA Cup final win over United.
Kyle Walker, Phil Foden and Noel Gallagher (obvs) are the talking heads. As with Dyer and West Ham, you cannot do these montages about City without a Gallagher...
Second nominee: Frankie Dettori
The montage is more about his career rather than this year. Which only underlines that his place on the list is more a ‘lifetime achievement’ nod that anything he did in 2023.
Having said that, he is, in some way, to racing what Ronnie O’Sullivan is to snooker, you’d follow the sport just for him.
He’s on holiday in France (fresh from his stint in the jungle...) but he’s live from what looks like a festive looking cabin...
He’s apologetic for not being there, but as a teacher once said to me: ‘if you were really sorry, you wouldn’t have done it...’
On the non-retirement...
“I am 52, want to stop at the top. Saw Ronaldo on the bench at the World Cup and thought I don’t want to end my career on the bench. I wanted to walk away into the sunset...but I kept on winning. I did my farewells and kept on winning. Thought ‘am I doing the right thing?’. Thought, ‘I cannot continue in England [after all the farewells] but still have to get it out of my system’ so emigrating to the USA, it allows me to continue what I love. The desire is still there, so I am sorry everyone, I made a mistake!”
No Rory or Frankie
From Tom Garry at Media City
Here in the press room backstage at Spoty, we understand neither Rory McIlroy nor Frankie Dettori have been able to attend tonight’s event in-person, but the other four contenders for the night’s main prize are all here, they’ve all been spotted. A large group of England’s Lionesses have been enjoying themselves on the red carpet, all clearly hoping to see Mary Earps win tonight.
The first nominee: KJT
A good video of the heptathlete. From the pain of her Achilles injury to being underdog in Budapest this summer. Everyone got to see the strength of her character in Hungary and to win a multi-disciplinary event in athletics is worthy of any award.
Lord Seb Coe certainly thinks she should win tonight.
She’s interviewed and has this to say...
On her comeback...
“Strength came from the team around me...partner, my mum, training partners, they rallied around me.”
On aims at start of the year...
“Going into this year, I had nothing to lose, seen rock bottom in many forms. Didn’t what perception of me to be what you saw in Tokyo...mantra was ‘I am not going to go out like this’. Just happy I can stand here today and say I came back.”
What Spoty has done a lot the past decade or so
Is have lots of live live music...no different here.
We’ve an orchestra and Pete Tong combining to belt out Fatboy Slim’s Right Here, Right Now...while that’s being blared out we have footage of some sporting highlights of the year.
Live, emotive music - ✔
A montage - ✔
The show can end now and we’d all be happy...
So the big omission...
...was Josh Kerr not making the list of six nominees.
It is a bit baffling, not least because athletics is one of the few sports the BBC actually shows these days.
Here’s Oliver Brown’s take on the weird decision.
READ: Josh Kerr’s Spoty snub is beyond the pale – and indicative of award’s decline
Three Liverpool legends
One award few, if any, will have issues with is Sir Kenny Dalglish being honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award. For all his achievements on the pitch, both as player and manager (what a talent he was...), it’s his support to the Hillsborough families in the aftermath of the disaster, and the pain they have endured since in the search for justice, that really marks him out as a special person.
So do you think Spoty is no longer the force it was?
There is the sense that ‘everything were better in my day’ (say that in a Yorkshire accent, please...), and I certainly remember being like a kid on Christmas Eve waiting for the famous music to start.
The thing about halcyon days is that they are always behind us, that one rarely appreciates the now. However underwhelming this year’s list of nominees is, one can, and always has, criticised award winners. Depending on how you view F1, did Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill really deserve the Spoty award in 1992, 1994 and 1996? Mo Farah won double Olympic gold at 5,000m and 10,000m in 2012 and didn’t even come in the top three. So whatever criticism is and has been thrown at this year’s nominations, it simply joins a long tradition of incredulity.
What certainly doesn’t help is that lack of actual footage the Beeb has to show nowadays. For children of a certain vintage Spoty was simply another chance to watch shedloads of sport. No more.
Good evening
It’s that time of year where everyone takes stock, looks back at the sporting year, hands out awards (some more meaningless than others), and then waits for the inevitable criticism of those who picked up the gongs. It’s as much part of December as hangovers and family arguments.
This year is no different. Though, where BBC Sports Personality of the Year is concerned, due to the rather underwhelming list of nominees we can expect a bit more criticism than usual. In fact the jibes have already started being thrown. Hey ho, as I said, it’s tradition...
The six contenders are Mary Earps, Stuart Broad, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Frankie Dettori, Alfie Hewett, Rory McIlroy and Josh Kerr. Oh, hang on, Kerr, who won 1500m World Championship gold this summer did not, for some unknown, remarkable, only a JFK-style-conspiracy-theory-can-explain-it reason make the list of six nominees. There is an absence of grassy knolls at the BBC’s Media City in Salford (where tonight’s shindig takes place) but the viewing public are left to once again question the validity of an award that leaves a key contender out of the list of six possible winners.
But that is sort of the point isn’t it? The thing about sport is that there is a truth and democracy about it. The fastest man or woman wins the gold; the team that scores more goals wins the match; the side that takes 20 wickets wins the Test. When it comes to awards such as this it becomes all about personal opinion and moves into the realm of a popularity contest.
I personally think awards should be for those 18 or younger, once you’re a full-blown adult they are simply for those narcissistic or needy enough to demand the adulation another gong gives you. Those who really love an award and think they are hugely important, over and above the medals deservedly won on the sporting field, are the equivalent of your annoying friends always posting on social media – a bit too attention seeking.
Anyway, people do love an award and tonight’s always throws up debating points (though mostly about the output of the BBC and BBC Sport than the actual winner...) and we’ll have all the action and winners coming up at the annual look back at the sporting year.