It was previously put out to tender in 2019 and was awarded to BBC Sport’s in-house production team, which will not be competing this time

SPOTY

The BBC has announced that Sports Personality of the Year will be put out to competitive tender, to decide who produces the show.

BBC Commissioning will invite pitches from producers and a full list of eligibility criteria and requirements for the programme will be openly shared with all suppliers.

Invitation to tenders will be published for Sports Personality of the Year next month.

The tendering of returning series forms part of the Charter and Agreement requirement to open up more of the BBC’s TV programmes to competition, following the launch of the BBC’s Compete or Compare strategy in 2014.

BBC Sports Personality of the Year was previously put out to tender in 2019 as part of the BBC’s contestability obligations and was awarded to BBC Sport’s in-house production team (Sport Productions). Sport Productions will not be competing this time, thereby supporting the BBC’s wider commitment to the UK’s creative production sector.

David Pembrey, chief operating officer, BBC Content says: “In tendering, we are underlining our commitment to securing the very best programmes and value for audiences.”