Sports Personality of the Year shortlist announced
For the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, a shortlist of six candidates has been revealed. Hannah Hampton and Chloe Kelly, rugby union player Ellie Kildunne, darts player Luke Littler, golfer Rory McIlroy, and Formula One driver Lando Norris are among the candidates. On Thursday, December 18th, voting will take place during the show on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer. The show, hosted by Gabby Logan, Alex Scott, and Clare Balding, and broadcast live from MediaCityUK in Salford, will celebrate 12 months of amazing sporting action.
BBC Sport's Alex Kay-Jelski said.This year has been a rollercoaster for sport, led by athletes whose appearances appear in history books,
It's been amazing to watch, and I can't wait to see who the country chooses as the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025. "The public will vote for the main award on the night, with complete information announced during the program. The Team of the Year award will also be determined by a public vote, with candidates set to be announced on December 15th. On the night, Young Sports Personality of the Year, Coach of the year, Lifetime Achievement, and the Helen Rollason Award were among the other prizes presented on the night. The World Sport Star Award, which is open-voting, will also be given.Each one has delivered moments of pure brilliance that have defined 2025.
Sports Personality of the Year 2025 contenders
Hannah Hampton
Age: 25 years old - Football Hampton's amazing 2025 culminated in her winning the Yashin Trophy, which is given to the best female goalkeeper at the Ballon d'Or awards. England defeated the European Championship final after her heroics in saving two spot-kicks in a penalty shootout, and she was named player of the match. Following a string of superb results that culminated in two more shootout saves in the quarter-finals, she was included in the tournament's squad. She was instrumental in Chelsea's domestic treble and was joint champion of the WSL's Golden Glove award with 13 clean sheets in 22 games.
Chloe Kelly
Age:27 Sports:Football In January, Kelly was uncertain about her future with club and country. She was a champion of the European Championship and Champions League in the summer. The winner of the Euro 2022 final showed that she is still England's player for the big moments by scoring the decisive penalty when the Lionesses retained the trophy. Despite not starting a match, her contributions were significant, with another fruitful shotout and a last-gasp semi-finalist. She was also instrumental in Arsenal's Champions League triumph and came fifth in the Women's Ballon d'Or polls.
Ellie Kildunne
Age: 26 years old: Ruth Kildunne played five tries as she played a crucial role in England's victory over the Women's Rugby World Cup on home soil. The full-back squad returned with gusto for the semi-finals against France after missing the quarter-final due to concussion. She delighted the 80,000 fans in the final against Canada by scoring a memorable solo attempt. She scored four times as England once more claimed a Grand Slam as they retained their Six Nations crown earlier this year. During the 2024-25 season, she scored 14 tries for Harlequins at the club level.
Luke Littler
Age:18: DARTS twenties: Crisps Littler's 2025 debuts in spectacular style as he became the youngest darts world champion in history at the age of 17. His resurgent victory at the World Matchplay made him only the fifth player to win the PDC Triple Crown of World Championship, Premier League, and Matchplay awards. He wasn't done there; his victory in November's Grand Slam of Darts boosted him to the top of the charts for the first time. He is the youngest man to do so at 18, smashing the previous record set by a 24-year-old Van Gerwen.
Rory McIlroy
Golf is a sport that has had years of resentment and near misses. McIlroy's win at the Masters made him the sixth man to win a Grand Slam of all four major championships in history. His thrilling play-off victory at Augusta was his first major victory since 2014. Europe defeated in the United States for the first time since 2012, with a hostile crowd he shrugging off a turbulent crowd to score three-and-a-half points. More victories followed AT the Players Championship, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and the Irish Open, before he closed off a stellar year with his seventh Race to Dubai title.
Lando Norris
Age: 26:Formula 1 In 2025, Norris became the 11th Briton to win a Formula 1 drivers' championship, claiming victory in the closest finish to a season in 15 years. After 15 races, the McLaren driver was 34 points behind teammate Oscar Piastri, but a string of results - including back-to-back victories in Mexico and Brazil - pushed him to the top. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix came to a dramatic conclusion, with Norris, Piastri, and four-time champion Max Verstappen all capable of winning the series. Norris fought his nerve to win McLaren's first drivers' championship since 2008, finishing the season just two points behind Verstappen.
