BBC Sports Personality of the Year or X-Factor? You Decide!

In a decision that would send Victor Meldrew into an epic frenzy, television’s big boys, the BBC and ITV, have decided to put their personal ego’s ahead of their viewers pleasure by showing their ‘crown jewel’ events on the same evening as each other.

That’s right both The X-Factor, a show that’s gripped the nation for the past four months will compete with BBC Sports Personality of the Year this evening for the first time ever.

It already seems like this blunder, for which the blame can be equally shared it must be said, will leave some people switching channels constantly as they send some of their family into epileptic fits, while others will be wondering why they bothered watching some tight-trousered Geordie prance around the stage- the things Alan Shearer will do for TV exposure eh?

You can make an argument for both shows being the source of the viewer’s frustration this particular year, with X-Factor changing the format of the show entirely for this year, having the preliminary singing on the Saturday and the results show on the Sunday evening, something that has if anything raised viewing figures.

The BBC has consistently hosted their show two weekends before Christmas, and given that The X-Factor traditionally hosts the show plus the results on the Saturday previous so that the winner can be in contention for Christmas number one, there has never been a clash.

However the timing of the BBC’s announcement that the event would be staged in Sheffield on December 13th came a full four months before ITV announced a split results show would be implemented- possibly suggesting the ITV want to show the Beeb a lesson.

The less cynical side of me believes that it’s all just a coincidence, but this is clearly just another episode of these two corporations trying to get one over the other, and given the numbers we’ve already seen glued to the X-Factor the BBC should expect a trouncing in the ratings.

The current format that we now know as The X-Factor has been running since 2004 and after seeing three boys flop, and two girls flourish as winners the victor of this years show promises to go very much the same way; history suggests as much if not the metronomic personality of the duo.

Like the slave to Saturday night television that I am, I’ve been drawn to the show like Simon Cowell’s drawn to an overpriced suit and it has hugely entertained me for the most part if I’m honest.

The Sports Personality of the Year however is a pure example of a show growing in stature and importance as its years has gone on, something I’m not sure X-factor can profess to- if anything it’s popularity has remained ever since it’s induction in the mid-noughties- again something the BBC have to concede.

Something the show can boast is a legacy and a prestige dating back over 50 years, with nine different venues used, each one bigger than the last.

Last years capacity of nearly 11,000 at the Echo Arena in Liverpool was almost as many as who voted in the events first staging of the show, an show that lasted no long than three quarters of a hour and was won by Christopher Chataway from Roger Banister, a common theme throughout 1954.

The X-Factor final will go out live from the Fountain Studio in Wembley, a simple Television centre, albeit the biggest in the country, and in truth it’s strange given the magnitude of the show that the franchise merchant that is Cowell hasn’t upgraded the venue furthur as the years have progress, as there’s no doubt it’d be filled twice over.

As for the winners of the respective shows, well one is far easier to call than the other.

Like any Brit I love an underdog, but I want to see the SPOTY winner to be someone whose actually won something notable, so Andy Murray and Mark Cavendish can kiss goodbye to there chances of claiming my vote.

My favorites for the award come in the way of Ryan Giggs one the finest footballers I’ve ever seen strike a ball and the most decorated footballer in England league history.

Tom Daley, whose triumph at such a young age has to be implored as he shocked the world as he won world diving gold.

And Jessica Ennis whose career went from possible ruin to becoming world heptathlon champion in just over a year and her individual story will earn her plenty of recognition.

The sporting public love to have a particular empathy, relation and particular background knowledge around their winner, take Joe Calzaghe’s relationship with his dad Enzo, or the history surrounding Zara Phillips, daughter of 1971 winner Princess Ann- given these stories any of the aforementioned three can be strongly considered.

As for ITV’s effort my tip comes courtesy of the good old fashioned history book; never has anyone won the X-Factor whose appeared in the bottom two in any of the previous weeks, therefore Joe McElderry is a sure-fire winner in my eyes.

And the winner of my viewing figure, well that’s one of the easier decisions I’ll have to make. No rule breaking on my part Louis, Lineker’s ears just do it for me.