Muhammad Ali was honoured in 1999

Bernie faces an almost impossible task in trying to shoehorn 12 months of sport into 120 minutes.

Invariably, the lack of coverage of certain sports attracts criticism from various quarters.

"It is such a big show - there are so many different areas. It is very difficult to cover everything.

"We now try to pick what will really resonate with people. The key is to keep the viewers entertained.

"OK, we do have public service responsibilities, but it is not meant to be an exhaustive book of the sporting year. The programme is there to entertain", said Bernie.

Behind the scenes

Almost his final job, once the phone lines have closed, is to write the order of the final three and seal it in an envelope.

No-one else knows the result until it is announced a few minutes later by the guest who is handing out the famous old trophy.

And no-one will ever know by how many votes the winner has triumphed. The BBC line has always been that they are votes for sports people in a television competition - they are not politicians standing for public office.

"I think it's unfair to reveal the numbers - it is of no great benefit to anyone," said Bernie.