The BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year awards celebrates its 70th anniversary tonight.

Founded in 1954, Spoty does not necessarily reward the best sporting performance of the year but, as a public vote, recognizes the “personality” who has most captivated the British public in the last calendar year.

What is that?

Spoty is an annual awards and review programme, organized and hosted by the Corporation, which began in 1954 looking back at the sporting year before crowning a BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The use of the word “personality” in the title is a throwback to when the term was used interchangeably with the word “person”. Contrary to popular perception, selected candidates are not required to have distinctive character.

Now in its eighth decade, the show has multiplied to incorporate seven other distinct awards in addition to the main award: Global Sports Star of the Year, Team of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Young Sports Personality of the Year, Coach of the Year, Unsung hero. , Greatest Sporting Moment of the Year and the Helen Rollason Award, inaugurated to commemorate the life of the BBC presenter who died in 1999, and awarded for “outstanding achievement in the face of adversity”.

When is it?

Spoty takes place tonight (Tuesday 19 December) and will be broadcast live, with voting open to the public during the program via telephone, BBC Sports app and website. The show is broadcast on BBC One.

Where is it?

The event will be held at Media City in Salford, with tickets available on request for BBC shows and tours.

What time will it start?

Coverage starts at 7pm UK time and ends at 9pm.

How can I watch it?

BBC One and BBC iPlayer will broadcast the show live, presented, as last year, by Gabby Logan, Clare Balding, Gary Lineker and Alex Scott. You can also follow the event by reading our live blog.