2009 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award was announced as footballer Ryan Giggs. Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button was runner up, with world heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis voted third. As part of the 2009 ceremony, awards were also to be presented for: 2009 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award The 2009 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award, held on 13 December, was the 56th presentation of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. Awarded annually by the BBC, the main titular award honours an individual's British sporting achievement over the past year. The winner is selected by public vote from a 10-person shortlist.
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award recipient of the award was Frank Bruno in 1996, who won it after his retirement from boxing that year. Bruno was the favourite to win the main award in 1995, but lost to Damon Hill, causing many to criticise his Lifetime Achievement Award as being a consolation award. Spanish golfer Seve Ballesteros won the award the following year, but after that the award was not presented for three years. The award has been presented annually since Ferguson ended the hiatus in 2001. Five of the eleven recipients have been associated with football; tennis and golf are the only other sports