BBC Sports Personality 2011 Heads North

This year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year will broadcast live from the studios of MediaCityUK, Salford Quays, the new home of BBC Sport on Thursday 22 December.
Celebrating another sporting year, the show is presented by Sue Barker, Gary Lineker and Jake Humphrey and will be live on BBC One and BBC One HD, 8-10pm.
The show will feature a stellar cast of sporting greats, and the grand finale will once again be a public vote for the coveted BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, taken from a top 10 shortlist nominated by a panel of sporting experts.
In 2010 12.6 million people tuned in to watch jockey AP McCoy take the award.
This year, BBC Sports Personality of the Year will also stand as the culmination of Celebrate Sport, two weeks of sporting events taking place at MediaCityUK, Salford Quays, throughout December.
Barbara Slater, BBC Director of Sport, said: "MediaCityUK in Salford will be a fitting venue for the 2011 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
"The facilities at the site are fantastic and the area has such a top-class sporting heritage, boasting top flight teams across many sports.
"This is a great opportunity to celebrate that. It's wonderful to be able to also offer so many people the chance to get involved through Celebrate Sport which will throw open the doors to many exciting sport events and experiences."
Also announced today is the opening for nominations for the BBC Sports Unsung Hero 2011.
One of the key awards at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year event, BBC Sports Unsung Hero recognizes and rewards outstanding contribution by individuals at the grassroots level of local sport.
(BMcC/GK)