Image source, @LiamTancock

British swimmer Liam Tancock:, external Looking slick for SPOTY.

Image source, BBC Sport

Some members of the audience will have spent hours pruning their beards or adding volume to their carefully-constructed bouffants this evening, but no matter how luxurious the pamper or how expensive the outfit, no-one will rival the gentleman sitting next to Princess Anne in 1971 for eye-catching style. Who the gentleman in the show-stopping mauve suit and tangerine shirt and tie is, no-one in the office knows. If someone could release us from our ignorance, we would be most grateful.

Image source, Aimee Lewis

Lawrence Barretto
BBC Sport in Glasgow

Commonwealth diving champion Tom Daley is looking forward to SPOTY but what he is really excited about is Christmas. "I can't wait - and all I really want is lots of food," he tells me.

"With breakfast, we have have pancakes, waffles, bacon, eggs - you name it, I eat it. Then it's all about the turkey. And to finish? Sweets, chocolates, ice cream and sticky toffee pudding!"

Image source, @JPickover

Joe Pickover:, external Speaking to Nicola Adams after she made history winning gold at the Commonwealth Games.

Leeds-born Adams became the first female Olympic boxing champion when she won flyweight gold for Great Britain at London 2012. Who's the most famous sportsperson you've posed with for a photo? Send us your pictures using the hashtag #spotyselfie

Image source, Max Whitlock

Gymnast and BBC SPOTY nominee Max Whitlock:, external On the way!

British dressage rider Charlotte Dujardin, one of the 10 Sports Personality nominees, is being interviewed by Lee McKenzie on the red carpet.

"I'm hugely privileged to be here tonight and to have our sport recognised. A massive thank you to everyone who's behind me to make it happen," she says.

"Every time I go out there, I have to raise the bar. I makes it exciting. For me, it's about not making mistakes in my performance. I have to hope the horse is in a good mood and wants to help me. I'm very lucky that he always does."

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport in Glasgow

"Sports Personality contender Jo Pavey says the last 12 months have been 'surreal' for her. The 41-year-old athlete won the European 10,000m title, 10 months after giving birth to her second child.

'At the start of the year I was breastfeeding, and now I'm here on the red carpet,' she said. 'I think being a mother has just taken the pressure off. It took me long enough to win gold, aged 40.'"

Retired swimmer Becky Adlington, a double Olympic gold medallist in 2008, tells BBC Sport: "The swimming team have really come on this year. They've been absolutely amazing. I'm sure they'll have a good run up to the 2016 Olympics.

"I think having Bill Furniss as performance director has helped; he knows the people and the system. And the swimmers are hungrier too. I think they became a little complacent ahead of London 2012, because there were so many places available. But now, they know there's a fight for places. They've got real ambition and drive."

If you want to see for yourselves Britain's favourite sports stars arriving for BBC Sports Personality of the Year, and maybe have a look at what they're wearing, red carpet coverage has now begun on the red button, the BBC News channel and online.

Image source, @KatyMc10

England's Women's Rugby World Cup winners are well represented in Glasgow tonight. Here are Mo Hunt, Emily Scarratt - who scored 16 of her country's points as they beat Canada 21-9 in August - and captain Katy McLean, external on the red carpet.

Don't forget, you can vote online this year, via the BBC Sport website, in addition to ringing up on your phone.

To cast your vote online you will need to be signed into the BBC website, which is simple - just click here to get ready to vote.

Voting is due to open during the BBC1 Sports Personality of the Year programme, which starts at 2000 GMT. (Terms and conditions can be found on the BBC Sport website. )

Image source, PA

Flashbulbs pop into overdrive as double Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington arrives on the red carpet. Mansfield's favourite has learnt to work the cameras since she was thrust into the limelight after her double gold in Beijing 2008.

Her outfit? The mum to be is wearing a sparkly knee-high cream dress and super-high heel cream shoes. So far, no-one has been spotted wearing a winter coat or a woolly hat.. It's December people. Wrap up warm.

Anna Thompson
BBC Sport in Glasgow

"Britain's first Winter Olympic medallist on snow, Jenny Jones, who won snowboard slopestyle bronze in Sochi, is popular along the red carpet. 'This is amazing,' she tells me."

Lorraine McReight:, external Looking forward to SPOTY. I usually know who I want to win, but there are so many worthy winners this year, I can't choose!

Rick Walton:, external Only now has it dawned on me I'm not nominated. #bitterlybitterlydisappointedBrian

Kyle Kirkland:, external Sausage cob, The US Office, Super Sunday, Roast Dinner, Strictly, X-Factor final and SPOTY. Sundays are for chilling!

Image source, @BBCGetInspired

Speaking of the #BigThankYou - comedian Eddie Izzard receives a friendly welcome on the red carpet from CBBC's Hacker T Dog.

Izzard, as I'm sure you're all aware, is a big Crystal Palace fan. Hacker prefers Wigan Athletic, so it's remarkable he's looking so cheerful, really.

For those of you interested in Izzard's outfit, he's wearing a black tux with six inch platform shoes.

Image source, BBC Sport

In case you missed their tweets, British triathletes Non Stanford and Vicky Holland have already thanked the coaches and volunteers who helped them reach the top of their sport.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Join In

Thousands of volunteers helped make sport happen in 2014 which is why comedian Eddie Izzard will be on the red carpet before this evening's BBC One show, asking famous sportsmen and women to phone volunteers to say a big thank you.

You can also get involved by tweeting the volunteer or volunteers you want to thank, using the hashtag #BigThankYou. , external

Image source, @BigBrad_97

Bradley:, external Me and Jenson Button this year - top gent.

Who's the most famous sportsperson you've collared for a photo? Send the results our way, please, using the hashtag #spotyselfie

Lawrence Barretto
BBC Sport in Glasgow

"Former Olympic skeleton silver medallist Shelley Rudman and her husband Kristan Bromley have just strolled down the red carpet and they're backing fellow slider Lizzy Yarnold tonight. Rudman adds that she's loving being pregnant for the second time, seven years after giving birth to daughter Ella so I asked her the obvious question. What she craving?

"Bromley smiled saying: 'I've been to get jars of pickled beetroot a few times!'"

Image source, BBC Sport

Andy Murray was last year's BBC Sports Personality winner after becoming the first British man in 77 years to win Wimbledon. There was no Wimbledon title for Murray this year, not even a Grand Slam, so he's not on the shortlist. Sport can be so cruel.

But the point I'm trying really to make is you can look back on all the previous BBC Sports Personality of the Year winners by visiting the BBC Sport website's archive.