The ten sportspersons on the award shortlist was drawn up by a "panel of 30 sports editors from national and regional newspapers and magazines", and announced on 29 November 2010.[1] As a preview to the awards, the nominees were interviewed for Sports Personality of the Year: The Contenders, a special edition of BBC One's Inside Sport, presented by Gabby Logan and broadcast on 13 December 2010.[2]
The award ceremony was held on Sunday 19 December at the LG Arena in Birmingham. It was the first time Birmingham had hosted the show since 2007. It was broadcast live on BBC One, with returning presenters Sue Barker, Gary Lineker and Jake Humphrey. The winner was decided by a public telephone vote during the ceremony.[1]
AP McCoy was named the winner, with 41.98% of the vote.[3] McCoy became the first jockey to win the main award of the night, having finished third in 2002. In 1996, Frankie Dettori had also finished in third. McCoy was also only the second person from Northern Ireland to win the award, after Dame Mary Peters. Phil Taylor finished second with 10.33% of the vote, becoming the first darts players to finish in the top three. Jessica Ennis finished in third place, with 9.02% of the vote. Ennis had also finished in third in the previous year.
Becoming the World Darts Champion for a record 15th time by winning the PDC tournament in January, hitting a double Nine-dart finish in the PDC Premier League Darts and winning a further six major titles during the year.
Becoming the first European winner of the U.S. Open since 1970 and first person from the UK since 1999 to win a major, scoring 284 at the tournament at Pebble Beach.
By winning the gold medal in the Women's Skeleton at the Winter Olympics, Williams became the first British individual winter gold medallist in thirty years.
The first award of the night, the Helen Rollason Award, was awarded to the co-founder and boss of the WilliamsFormula One team.[4] Since 1986, Williams has been confined to a wheelchair, but despite this the team have won sixteen Formula One World Championships, becoming the third most successful team in the sport's history. Damon Hill presented Williams with the award.[5]
The Unsung Hero Award was presented to Lance Haggith, a basketball coach.[10] The winner of the BBC East region, Higgins had worked with children and young people of all abilities and disabilities for over thirty years. He had set up two charities to support youngsters in sport, and chaired the Bedfordshire Basketball Association.