TOLD YOU SO.......the cringingly awful BBC Sports Personality of the Year resulted in the Queen`s Grandaughter, Zara Phillips, being named as this years`s winner. Now, I wonder what`s going on when results as bizarre as this can happen?

Before we get on to Zara (if you`ll forgive the phrase) there are a couple of other `intersting` things which have come to light. For instance, how is it that St. Helen`s Rugby League team can lift the Team of the Year award? Now, this is a game played almost exclusively `oop north` and is of no real interest to the rest of the country. However, the BBC do have the exclusive rights to televise Rugby League matches (big deal) whereas they did not televise the Ryder Cup, won in spectacular style by the European Team. Curious.

Similarly, the fact that the two champion boxer nominees (Messrs. Hatton and Calzaghe) failed to reach even the final three surely has nothing to do with the huge investment made by ITV in televising the noble art.

The BBC seem reluctant to explain the details of the voting procedure, merely announcing the percentages of votes cast for nominees which casts as much doubt over the outcome as their reluctance to come clean over how the nominations were arrived at to begin with.

As to Zara, well I`m sure she`s a nice lady and I have no wish to chastise anyone unfortunate enough to be born to her position, but it`s odd that the `equestrian press` ran a campaign among their readership to encourage votes to be cast in her direction - as illustrated.

But let`s spare a thought for the horse - surely, if anyone deserved to share in this award it was the equine champion which took Zara to her triumphs....and quite possibly had as much `personality.` Amazing.