2021 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2021 took place on 19 December 2021 at the dock10 studios in Salford. Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan, and Alex Scott all returned to present the awards show.

The event was broadcast live on BBC One. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no studio audience, rather just fifty special guests.

Nominees
The nominees for the award were revealed on 13 December 2021. The panel deciding the shortlist was made up of athletes Jeanette Kwakye, Hannah Miley, and Neil Lennon, sports broadcasters Jason Mohammad and Andy Stevenson, sports journalists Molly Mcelwee, Ben Burrows, and Richard Morgans, and from the BBC Barbara Slater, Philip Bernie, and Gabby Cook.

Emma Raducanu won the award, becoming the fifth different tennis player to win the award, and the first since Andy Murray, who last won it in 2016. Raducanu was also the first woman to win since Zara Philips, now Tindall, won in 2006. Runner-up Tom Daley, who has won the Young Sports Personality of the Year three times, became the first diver to finish in the top three. Adam Peaty, who finished third was the first swimmer to finish in the top three since Rebecca Adlington's third-place finish in 2008.

Cyclists Jason and Laura Kenny presented the awards. Raducanu was not in the studio but was live over video link to accept the award.

Young Sports Personality of the Year
On 15 December 2021, the three-person shortlist for the Young Sports Personality of the Year Award was announced. The panel included athletes Ellie Simmonds, Aimee Fuller, and Regan Grace, and representatives from Blue Peter, the Youth Sports Trust, and BBC Sport.

Diver Matty Lee presented the award.

Helen Rollason Award
The Helen Rollason Award was awarded to Jen Beattie, an Arsenal and Scotland footballer, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2020 but continued to play football, as well as speaking about her illness to encourage others to get screened.

Before the awards show, Arsenal teammate Leah Williamson presented the trophy to Beattie, as they were unable to be there in person due to fixture commitments.

Unsung Hero Award
The Unsung Hero Award was won by Sam Barlow from Kingston upon Hull for her work encouraging people to get active, delivery of sports programmes in local schools, and using fitness as a way of talking about loss.

Swimmer Rebecca Adlington presented the award.

Lifetime Achievement Award
On 18 December 2021, gymnast Simone Biles was announced as the recipient of this year's Year Lifetime Achievement Award for her gymnastics career, and for speaking publicly about abuse and her mental health struggles.

World Sport Star Award
The World Sport Star of the Year was won by Rachael Blackmore after an online public vote. Blackmore could not receive the award in person because she was still at Manchester Airport due to a delayed flight.

Team of the Year and Coach of the Year
The Team of the Year Award and Coach of the Year Award were presented together. The England men's national football team took home the Team of the Year Award for reaching the final of the European Championships. Their manager Gareth Southgate was awarded Coach of the Year for leading the team there.

Hannah Cockroft presented both awards.

In Memoriam

 * Ian St John
 * Jimmy Greaves
 * Ray Kennedy
 * Colin Bell
 * Ron Flowers
 * Barbara Inkpen
 * Manolo Santana
 * Paul Nihill
 * Brian London
 * Sebastian Eubank
 * Leon Spinks
 * Marvelous Marvin Hagler
 * Frank Worthington
 * Glenn Roeder
 * Paul Mariner
 * Roger Hunt
 * Lloyd Cowan
 * Ron Hill
 * Dorothy Manley
 * Alan Hart
 * Kevin Gearey
 * Lance Hardy
 * Jeanette Altwegg
 * David Jenkins
 * Simon Terry
 * Doug Mountjoy
 * Max Mosley
 * Bertie Auld
 * Lee Elder
 * Eileen Ash
 * John Edrich
 * Ted Dexter
 * Walter Smith
 * Jim McLean
 * Tommy Docherty
 * Andy Fordham
 * David Heaton
 * George Monaghan
 * James Muirhead
 * Gerd Muller
 * Mike Smith
 * Dai Davies
 * Gillian Sheen
 * David Rose
 * Jeff Grayshon
 * Siobhan Cattigan
 * Julie Chipchase
 * Peter Lorimer
 * Terry Cooper
 * Jacques Rogge
 * Gerald Sinstadt
 * Renton Laidlaw
 * Steve Docherty
 * Sabine Schmitz
 * Lorna Brooke
 * Trevor Hemmings
 * Joe Mercer
 * John Pullin
 * Sandy Carmichael
 * John Dawes
 * Frank Williams
 * Murray Walker