The Leader of Wigan Council, Councillor David Molyneux MBE, invited the BBC to host the SPOTY ceremony in Wigan Borough for 2026.
The invitaion follows the success that the Borough has had at the most recent sporting awards with Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson winning the main title,Wigan Warriors, awarded team of the year and Jenny Meadows and Trevor Painter named as coaches of the year.
He said: “This is very special; when you think of us as a place, as our borough, to have such success in a national competition and win all the trophies that we have won.
“In 2013, in my then role as deputy leader, I did write then to BBC Sport, suggesting that in the future Sports Personality of the Year perhaps should be in Wigan. Well, I’m going to emphasise that again.
“I will write again, and suggest next year’s is held in the borough and the people that are winning these trophies won’t have as far to travel because it’ll be right on their doorstep.
“The success is there for everyone to see and it’s something that we’re certainly proud of. I would to thank everybody for voting for Keely on the night.”
