Lewis Hamilton crowned his historic 2020 when he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year for the second time.
The Mercedes driver was voted ahead of Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and jockey Hollie Doyle to claim the prestigious prize he first won in 2014.
Hamilton had been the overwhelming favourite for the SPOTY award after equalling Michael Schumacher’s record haul of seven Formula One world titles, as well as beating the German’s tally of 91 Grand Prix wins.
Lewis Hamilton has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award for the second time
Formula One star Hamilton is also set to be knighted in the New Year’s Honours list
Hamilton, who is also set to be knighted in the New Year’s Honours, is only the fifth person to win the BBC gong more than once, joining a list which includes fellow F1 greats Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill.
He has now finished in the top three of SPOTY six times, which is more than anyone else.
After picking up the award remotely at his home, Hamilton said: ‘I am really proud to be among some iconic heroes. I really wasn’t expecting this knowing there were so many great contenders.
‘Your heart’s pumping in those last few seconds when they’re announcing because you have absolutely no idea.
‘It’s been such an unusual year and doing this remotely through a laptop standing in front of Christmas tree, the whole thing just felt abnormal.
‘But I am so, so grateful to the British public. It’s been a long journey together. I will continue to do my part to represent the country in the best way I can.
It has been a record-breaking year for Hamilton, who won the F1 title for the seventh time
‘I don’t do what I love doing for recognition, but when it’s received, it’s greatly appreciated. This definitely goes a long way to giving me the best Christmas that I can have given the circumstances.’
Last night’s scaled-back show was held without a live public audience for the first time since 2005 because of Covid-19 restrictions, although 1,000 people made up a ‘virtual’ crowd.
Only award winners and three of the six people shortlisted for the main prize – Henderson, Doyle and Stuart Broad – joined presenters in the studio in Salford.
Nominee Tyson Fury refused to be involved at all, having had his request to be withdrawn from the public vote ignored by the BBC, but he missed out on the top three, along with Broad and Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Henderson and Doyle challenged Hamilton thanks to major social media campaigns from Liverpool and the racing community, respectively.
Tyson Fury was not involved after requesting to be removed from the public voting
On her third place, record-breaking jockey Doyle, 24, admitted: ‘It felt unbelievable but it felt like I was picking it up for the horse racing industry not just myself. I always thought that good things like this don’t happen to people like me but I’m just honoured to be where I am.’
While Henderson just missed out on the main award, Liverpool took home the Team of the Year trophy for their first Premier League title success and Jurgen Klopp was named Coach of the Year.
On winning Team of the Year, Klopp, who was there in person, smiled: ‘Getting this prize in Manchester makes it even sweeter!
‘I think my team deserve it because they did an incredible job. It is a mix of talent, character, desire, plus the power of the club, which is really a big one. That all comes together so we became champions and it was a great moment.’
On the Coach of the Year gong, he added: ‘I am really happy. Usually you win a prize because you are a football coach. This time the other contenders are from all different sports and I have never won something like this, so it is really nice.’
Marcus Rashford picked up a special award for his campaigning work during this year
Marcus Rashford was also at Media City, just hours after helping Manchester United thrash Leeds at nearby Old Trafford, to pick up a Panel Special Award.
The forward was controversially omitted from the main award, which is based on sporting achievements, but was given the specially created trophy for his campaign to end child food poverty.
Rashford, 23, said: ‘I’ve always had this thing that eats at me saying, “Make sure you make a difference for the next generation”.
‘As a country, we should always protect them as much as we can and give them the best chance at life and becoming whatever it is they want to become.’
A unique sporting year was reflected by some of the other winners including Captain Sir Tom Moore, who was given the Helen Rollason Award for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity.
The 100-year-old former army officer raised £38.9million for the NHS by walking laps of his garden at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also had a new award named after him – the Captain Tom Young Unsung Hero award, which went to nine-year-old Tobias Weller, who suffers with cerebral palsy and autism and, inspired by Captain Tom, walked a marathon over 70 days on the streets of Sheffield, aided by a walker.
The Unsung Hero Award was given posthumously to Sergeant Matt Ratana, who lost his life earlier this year after being shot while on police duty.
Ratana voluntarily coached East Grinstead Rugby Club, while carrying out his police role, and his trophy was collected by his partner Su Bushby.