Christmas TV 2018

In previous years, it's been at least 10 sportspeople and in some years up to 16 people on the shortlist. This year the shortlist had halved from the previous year and was only 6 people. It led to some pretty major omissions - the likes of Alistair Cook, Tyson Fury and Georgia Hall and Ronnie O'Sullivan for example. That said people moan about the shortlist every year.
The show itself had plenty of issues - the winner of the inspiration award of the night, the Helen Rollason award, being cut off only for there to then be an awful 5-minute 'Three Lions' rendition (though they did go back to the winner later), the ending being a George Ezra performance rather than focussing on the actual winner, a few seconds mention (if that) of Alistair Cook retiring, not releasing the voting figures,

It’s a big coincidence that the show runs over 10 mins every year since it started teaming up with The Apprentice. It’s obviously planned. Gary Lineker tweeted the 9pm peak rating without context but didn’t mention the average rating whidn was much lower.

Yes it’s a live show and winners might talk too much in their speech to put them behind but you’d think the opposite would happen in some years to balance it out.

It's been overrunning long before it started being shown before The Apprentice. As I say, it was overrunning in the seventies. And who cares what Gary Lineker tweets about it? I know he's a prominent tweeter, but so what?

Once more, you cannot say it is "obviously" planned. They certainly don't tell anyone else if they do.

Personnel I think it's embarrassing some of the editorial decision made with this programme, I'm not talking about the overrunning by 10-15min.

Your point about constructive criticism is valid: I do not believe the programme was well rounded in its ambitions , I believe the programme focused was far too one side, and doesn't fully and fairly represent the overall personality of BRITISH Sport. That Short list has not helped matters and has raised alot of speculations why its been cuts so drastically.

Unless the BBC makes clear why this cut has taken place it will not find favour with many people, if the BBC were upfront about said change it might have managed to redirect some of the issues but to waited until the very last min,..... makes myself wonder why they tried to hide the changes in the first place?

I can understand your reaction since your a BBC employee , but no programme should be above questionability , and some of aspect done in this programme has been questionable, others ( Bar the over running ) have mentioned.

Of course, if it turned out that these overruns *were* planned and there was concrete proof for this...

"SHOCKER! Sports Personality of the Year DELIBERATELY overruns, admit BBC bosses"
"Viewer OUTRAGE as BBC reveals that Sports Personality of the Year overruns ON PURPOSE"
"Calls for BBC to AXE Sports Personality of the Year after Corporation admits overruns are PLANNED"

But as Steve explains, it has been overrunning for years and years - back to Frank Bough's time at least. Yet people *still* complain about it - and do so these days as if it's a terrible, terrible thing.

I may argue that SPOTY was significantly better when it was the Sports *Review* of the Year - but I'd never give out about it overrunning, regardless whether it was deliberate or not (and the Beeb are well within their rights not to reveal if it is). Even if there was a massive cock-up on the show that resulted in The Apprentice, or whatever, being delayed by over half an hour, I still wouldn't complain...

Some day the BBC will be forced to release all their voting figures. It's surprising they not anyway.

SPOTY has always had to make up the numbers when it comes to the shortlist but I thought six was just right this year, cutting out the dead weight in a quiet sporting year. There were no glaring omissions as far as I could see and everyone on the list deserved to be. It could have been announced pre-show but ultimately it made little difference.

623508 - you're yet to rationalise your anger to the show. Just who was missing from the shortlist and who should have won in your opinion?

Firstly I can't dictate, who should have won, but if your not given the choice then it hardly fair. It would have been nice to see Tyson Fury in the list. What also raised an eyebrow was the fact Ronnie o sullivan was also snubbed. what is the difference between Snooker and F1?

About 210 miles per hour

Yet when Tyson Fury *did* make the shortlist three years ago, there was outrage due to certain comments he had made - and there were even a few boos for him on the night.

Ronnie, meanwhile, is actually quite happy that he's never been nominated: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/scotland/42330358

That was three years ago and he has made amends, of course people tar other people for life..

End of the day though he had one fight which he drew. If it had happened six months ago it wouldn't even be remembered. Heck, AJ defended his titles months ago and not getting shortlisted barely registered a mention.

I still think airing SPOTY and The Apprentice back to back is a waste of both programmes when they could easily each anchor a night in the week before Christmas.