Featured Image Credit: BBC
Topics: Luke Littler, Rory Mcilroy, Lando Norris
Luke Davies
Several sports fans took to social media to make the same point after the winner of BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2025 was crowned.
The star-studded event took place in Salford on Thursday (December 18), with the public deciding the winner of the gong this year.
Six nominees were up for the main award, with England’s Lionesses Hannah Hampton and Chloe Kelly in the running alongside England rugby union star and Women’s Rugby World Cup winner Ellie Kildunne.
Teenage darts player Luke Littler, 2025 Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris, and The Masters and Ryder Cup winner Rory McIlroy also made the final six.
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Six more awards were also up for grabs on the night - World Sport Star of the Year, Helen Rollason award, Young Sports Personality of the Year, Coach of the Year, Team of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement award.
Lionesses’ boss Sarina Wiegman won the Coach of the Year for the second time after guiding England to a second straight European Championship victory.
Swedish pole vault star Armand Duplantis was World Sports Star of the Year for the second year running, while Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe, the fathers of two young girls killed in Southport last year, picked up the Helen Rollason Award after running the 2025 London Marathon.
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Former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry won the Lifetime Achievement award. Europe’s Ryder Cup winners secured the Team of the Year prize.
And after the vote was froze the six contenders for the Sports Personality of the Year award were cut to just three – Kildunne, McIlroy, and Norris – with fans quick to point out a notable omission from the list.
Several sports fans took to social media to voice their surprise at Littler missing out on the top three after a successful 2025, during which he won his maiden PDC World Darts Championship as well as several other crowns, including the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, and Grand Slam of Darts.
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One said: “A bit disappointed Littler isn't in the top 3 after all he's achieved this year.”
Another added: “How is Luke Littler not in the top 3… he’s won everything?”
While a third commented: “SPOTY this year is garbage, surely Littler has to win it?”
As a fourth claimed: “That wasn’t the top three I was expecting. Thought Luke Littler would definitely be in the top three. Do like Ellie Kildunne, though. She came across really well. Great personality."
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Eighteen-year-old Littler was also up for the Young Sports Personality of the Year, but also missed out on this, with Lioness Michelle Agyemang picking up the prize for her performance during England’s Euro 2025 triumph.
The Darts star previously won the award back in 2024.
Later in the show, Kildunne came second in the main award, Norris came third, while McIlroy won Sports Personality of the Year after a hugely successful year of golf for the Northern Irishman.
The golfer completed his career Grand Slam - US Open, The Open, US PGA Championship, and The Masters - at Augusta in April, having last won a major in 2014.
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He was also crucial in Team Europe winning the Ryder Cup while securing a second Irish Open as well as enjoying further triumphs at the Players Championship, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and the Race to Dubai.