BBC Sports Personality of the Year is coming to the Sheffield Arena on Sunday December 13. For only the fourth time in its 56-year history, the show will take place outside London and this is the first time the event will be held in Yorkshire at the Sheffield Arena.
The show will be live on air from 7-9pm on BBC One and Radio 5 Live and will be presented by Sue Barker, Gary Lineker and Jake Humphrey.
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2009 will be chosen by public vote from a shortlist of ten contenders. The public will be able to vote by phone on the night of the live show for who they think should be Sports Personality of the Year.
This year's show will be the biggest ever in the history of the awards, with a live audience of 11,000 in the Sheffield Arena joining some of the biggest stars in the world of sport.
Barbara Slater, Director, BBC Sport said: "The reaction of viewers and those members of the public who have been able to attend the event live in the last three years has been fantastic and we hope this year in Sheffield will continue that trend. It’s been another great year of sport and the event promises to be another one to remember."
Cllr Paul Scriven, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “With this year’s competition already tipped to be the biggest ever Sports Personality of the Year event, we are thrilled to be hosting it in our city, and I’m looking forward to celebrating the achievements of each of the ten deserving contenders at Sheffield Arena in December.”
The short list for the main award are as follows (in alphabetical order): Jenson Button, Mark Cavendish, Tom Daley, Jessica Ennis, Ryan Giggs, David Haye Phillips Idowu, Andy Murray, Andrew Strauss, Beth Tweddle
In addition there will also be awards for:
• Team of the Year • Coach of the Year • Overseas Sports Personality of the Year • Lifetime Achievement • Helen Rollason Award • Young Sports Personality of the Year • Sports Unsung Hero
