Top award for Mo in night of glitches
OLYMPIC distance runner Mo Farah was last night crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year on a farcical night that saw technological glitches and even a tantrum overriding the proceedings.
The double Olympic gold medallist looked shocked but delighted to be awarded the accolade.
But as he was handed the trophy, the TV screen went blank.
To make matters worse, Mo’s toddler son Hussein earlier managed to steal his father’s moment in the spotlight as he struggled and whined while Mo, 34, was trying to answer questions in front of millions of viewers.
The two-year-old, who joined Mo and his elder sister Rhianna on a sofa for the live broadcast, grabbed his father’s microphone before his sister removed him from in front of the camera. The debacle ended a night of surprises. The world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua had been expected to win the main award but the odds-on favourite came away empty handed, with four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo taking gold.
Northern Ireland’s triple World Superbikes champion Jonathan Rea finished second while para-athlete Jonnie Peacock was third.
England women’s cricket team were voted Team of the Year and Dame Jessica EnnisHill was given a Lifetime Achievement prize.
Meanwhile, brave Sunderland fan Bradley Lowery was honoured posthumously with the Helen Rollason award.
The parents of the football fan who died in July aged six, were presented with the award at the ceremony in Liverpool’s Echo Arena.