Sports Personality of the Year: Tyson Fury lawyers ask for shortlist removal

Fury first requested to be removed from the shortlist last month

Tyson Fury will stay on the Sports Personality of the Year shortlist, despite his lawyers writing to the BBC, asking to have him removed from the show.

The WBC heavyweight champion asked to be taken off the list last month but the BBC said he would stay on.

It said the 32-year-old's inclusion was decided by an independent panel to recognise his achievements.

Fury is one of six sports stars shortlisted for the annual award.

On Monday he revealed he had instructed lawyers to help him be removed from the shortlist.

"Let's hope they listen and take me off," he told ITV's Good Morning Britain.

The BBC said it had received the letter but that the fighter would stay on the shortlist, reiterating the statement it released when Fury first called for his removal.

He had originally released a video on social media asking to be taken off the shortlist as he was "the people's champion" and had "no need for verification or any awards".

The BBC responded by saying the shortlist was drawn up by an "independent expert panel who choose contenders based on their sporting achievement in a given year".

It added: "On this basis Tyson Fury will remain on the list for Sports Personality of the Year 2020. As always the winner will be decided by the public voting during the live show and it is of course up to Tyson if he chooses to participate in the show."

Sports Personality of the Year 2020 will be shown on BBC One on Sunday, 20 December.

The programme is being broadcast live from Media City in Salford.