It's a bit of a daft title though, it's not about personality. According to the BBC website the criteria areThe Panel will select a short list of 12 sportspeople on the basis of the following criteria

So you can see why Murray counts, his achievements certainly made an impact. But yes, your right he wouldn't come near if it was about personality!

US Open winner
Olympic singles gold medal
Olympic mixed doubles silver medal
Wimbledon runner up

Andy Murray has had an outstanding year. He doesn't have the natural charisma of Wiggins but very few people do. He's a winner and a genuine world class sportsman.

"Personality" is subjective anyway and a matter of opinion, but success isn't.

My personal top three would have been:

1)Wiggins
2)Murray
3)Farah

I have no arguments with how it panned out though. Unlike previous years when Zara Phillips won it for being the Queen's grandaughter and the shortlist always comprised of at least one or two name most people outside of their own sport hadn't heard of, there was twelve great candidates this year.

I know the Olympics is different because it gives minority sports like rowing, sailing, etc a platform that wouldn't ordinarily have, but it still captures the imagination like few other events, and nobody can dispute the worthiness of an Olympic or Paralympic gold medal when it comes to personal achievement.

What pee'd me off was 'Team GB' winning the Team award when the BBC's own criteria specifically stated they wouldn't be eligible, so I had bets on the Ryder Cup team and the cycling team. Pah.

As far as the show went, the VTs were generally excellent, the studio bits were mainly excruciating. Should have been more time devoted to Frankel as well, IMO.

Yes they won the 2006 team of the year award.

Gary Lineaker and Sue Barker make me want to wretch more than the norovirus.

The BBC view the sports personality of the year award as it's biggest sporting event. Quite sad really.

Was it really on for THREE hours.............. christ almighty

i just wish they would have shown a bit more of the years action..Re visiting more of the magic moments that had us cheering would have made better TV IMO...
There was far to much rambling and i kept flicking over to the darts...

Anyway with regards to the top 3 i'd have had no complaints had any of them won it.

Wiggins quite rightly won it in my view. Fantastic achievement.
No probs with Ennis 2nd either.

Linekar - no thanks

No Chance what world class athlete did Wiggo beat on the way to the Tour de france? or his Road race gold medal? and how many team mates physically helped him along to achieve that feat.

Murray plays a sport that requires superb skill levels and equally high levels of fitness and he dismantled the games greatest ever player at the olympics, and beat the world number one in a five hour match of the highest quality to win the us open.And also reached countless other finals including wimbledon which no Brit has done since the 1930's...

Wiggo got it because he's a Character with his wacky sideburns and outlandish 70's style retro suit...
I could ride a bike fast, I couldnt even See one of Novak Djokovic's serves never mind get a racket on it and direct back in the court for a passing shot winner.....

riding a bike's not all that...........

Erm, Virginia Wade?

Women's sport = doesn't count.*

*only joking, Chrissie Wellington should have got a nomination at least once.

It doesn't seem to count if the media are to be believed - I'm not a fan of Andy Murray, but wouldn't want to denigrate his achievements this year. Nevertheless, all this no Brit has won a Grand Slam since Fred Perry is patently . Sue Barker won the French, Wade won a US and an Australian Open, Ann Jones was in loads of finals. Note that Wade and Jones only won SPOTY when they won Wimbledon...

IIRC it was in the days of amateur Wimbledon when Anne Jones won the title & similarly in 1977 when Virginia Wade won the ladies singles there when the professional players were boycotting Wimbledon. Over the years all our tennis players have struggled to compete at the home of tennis although they have managed to win abroad. Murray,s achievements have been magnificent though & it has only been a matter of time till it happened.

When Jones won in 1969, it was the Open era by then. And there was no boycott in 77 when Wade won.

.....We are seriously comparing Men's and Women's tennis??

Yes, Wade's, Jones' and Barker's acheievements are admirable, but compared to what Murray has done this year, then it pales into insignificance.

Its like saying Arsenal fans should take equal kudos from their Women's side's consistant success than any success their male counterparts might acheieve.