Back on the podium one last time!
I was absolutely thrilled to be voted third in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards the other night.
There aren’t many athletes lucky enough to get nominated for the shortlist and even less who make the top three.
I genuinely didn’t go to Manchester thinking I’d come back with a trophy and it has topped off the most wonderful 2022 in the best possible way.
For people across Britain to vote for me with so many worthy candidates on the shortlist is incredibly humbling.
I’d like to thank everybody who took the time to do it.
And I’ve been reading all the social media messages that have been posted as well.
The whole SPOTY experience from start to finish was amazing.
The last time I was invited to the ceremony was nine years ago on the back of Sochi.
It was a case of – arrive at this time, the show is at this time, the after-party is at this time, and that’s it.
Being on the shortlist was a bit different.
They came up the road for a couple of days to interview myself and my brothers at the Dewar’s Centre in Perth – getting Glen and Thomas together wasn’t easy but at least they both had a hair cut!
"She's just dedicated her life to the sport."
🥌🫶 @evemuirhead #BBCSPOTYpic.twitter.com/28UN3PUzhu
— Team GB (@TeamGB) December 21, 2022
And you’re allowed to bring two guests.
You get hotel rooms, your make-up done on the night and a chaperone. You’re looked after so well.
Jess Ennis-Hill was in the make-up chair next to me and I was so chuffed that I got the chance to meet her at last because she has been a real hero of mine over the years.
The BBC team are so professional.
Clare Balding phoned me the night before to chat through what we’d be talking about on the stage.
It was brilliant to be right at the heart of such an iconic show.
We were literally on the front row for the show, which was surreal.
I made sure I went to speak to Jess again at the after-party and get a photo with her!
Thursdays @BBCRadio2 Breakfast Show comes LIVE from Salford, the morning after Sports Personality Of The Year!
We were backstage talking to the winner, the brilliant @bmeado9 & ice queen @evemuirhead who finished 3rd… she achieved her goal of getting a selfie with @J_Ennis 😂🙌 pic.twitter.com/FHPCXv3F2x
— mike williams (@mikewills_sport) December 22, 2022
I was chatting to her and Denise Lewis for ages.
I’ll never take for granted being around legends like them.
Everyone has their own opinion on who makes the shortlist and from what sport.
But the fact that it’s such a big talking point after all these years – not to mention the viewing figures – shows that SPOTY still means a lot to the British public who love their sport.
I hope I’ve done my own sport proud and, as with my curling career, I’d love to think that I’ve increased its profile and helped more people take up curling.
Huge congratulations to Beth Mead on winning.
It was absolutely no surprise that the Lionesses swept the board.
I watched their first game of the European Championships and that team has transformed the perception of women’s football.
We chatted for a bit and she seems very nice.
It was lovely to read the day before that if she was voting she would have chosen me!
She was saying she stayed up to watch our final in Beijing.
It was a big night for women’s sport in general.
What a moment. @Rob7Burrow and his family are truly incredible and I don’t think it’s possible for me to love Sir Kevin Sinfield anymore than I currently do pic.twitter.com/K8T1v9LbCB
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) December 21, 2022
For many people, hearing the speeches of Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield was the stand-out memory.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the arena.
The friendship those two guys have is so inspirational, as is the way in which Rob’s wife has remained so positive in heart-breaking circumstances.
Also, seeing Doddie Weir’s boys up on the stage was very emotional as well.
The Helen Rollason award has become such an integral and special part of SPOTY.
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