THE country’s sporting aristocracy will descend on Liverpool this weekend, with all 47 Team GB Olympic medal winners expected to attend the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year Awards on Sunday night.
Organisers say it will be one the biggest gatherings of successful sportsmen and women in the 55-year history of the event.
From Wednesday, staff at Liverpool’s Echo Arena started working around the clock in preparation for the event, with rehearsals scheduled to commence on Saturday morning.
And, although the BBC is maintaining secrecy over the event, it has been confirmed that all Olympic and Paralympic medallists have accepted invitations to the ceremony.
A BBC spokesman said: “We can’t give much away as the programme goes out live, and we want there to be a number of surprises on the night.
“As far as we’re aware, all of the Olympic medallists and the award nominees are looking to attend. Representatives of Liverpool and Everton football clubs will also be there. It will be a big event for the city.”
Contenders for the Sports Personality of the Year award are Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, tennis player Andy Murray, boxer Joe Calzaghe and Beijing 08 medallists Rebecca Adlington, Bradley Wiggins, Chris Hoy, Nicole Cooke, Ben Ainslie, Christine Ohuruogu and Rebecca Romero.
Liverpool super heavyweight boxer David Price, who won a bronze medal in Beijing, is thrilled to be attending the awards in his home city.
Price, 25, from West Derby, said: “I’m really looking forward to it. I went to the awards in Birmingham in 2006. That was a good night but this will be even better with it being in my home town, and in the new Arena.
“There’s going to be an after-show party and there should be a really good buzz around the city at the weekend.”
Since the Echo Arena won the bid to host the event in January, detailed plans for managing the event have been compiled.
The general manager of the Echo Arena, Tim Banfield, told the Daily Post: “With live broadcasts – such as this and the MTV awards – extremely detailed planning, down to the last detail, is necessary.”
Mr Banfield said the show’s main comperes, Sue Barker, Gary Lineker and Jake Humphrey, will take part in rehearsals, with stand-ins for award winners.
He said: “The event is highly choreographed and the bespoke set is massive.Everybody who comes to the Arena will be impressed with the scale.”
The convention centre’s multi-purpose hall is being converted for pre-and post-event parties.
Mr Banfield continued: “It’s a real challenge – perhaps even greater than for the MTV awards, as it’s a busier time of year for us. I’m confident we’ll pull it off.
“With an average of 10m people watching the show each year on BBC1, this will be a great advert for the city and should reinforce the good work of the rest of Capital of Culture Year.”
Sports Personality of the Year 2008 will be broadcast on BBC1 this Sunday, at 7pm.
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