Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton and England cricketer Stuart Broad have been named as the first two nominees for the 2020 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
The BBC is staggering the announcements of the six contenders up for the main honour at a show at Media City in Salford on December 20, with Hamilton and Broad so far taking top billing.
It was announced on Tuesday morning that Hamilton had tested positive for coronavirus and will miss this weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain, but he is favourite with bookmakers to clinch a second SPOTY crown.
Winner in 2014 and a four-time runner-up, including in the last two years, Hamilton clinched yet another world drivers’ title in Turkey last month, equalling Michael Schumacher’s overall record.
Hamilton was named on the six-person shortlist on BBC Breakfast by ‘The Body Coach’ Joe Wicks, who then revealed on Radio One Breakfast with Greg James that England fast bowler Broad was the second contender.
Broad became only the second England bowler, after James Anderson, to reach 500 Test wickets in a summer of rearranged fixtures, played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It has been a remarkable year for Broad, who has taken 38 Test wickets for England at a phenomenal average of 14.76 in 2020.
The other four hopefuls will be revealed throughout Tuesday on the BBC’s various platforms.
