The 27th Variety Club Sports Awards
Written by James Gadsby-Peet 24th April 2009
The Variety Club Sports Awards took place on Thursday the 23rd of April at the Wembley Suite, Wembley Stadium. Running for the 27th year the Sports Awards honoured stars from right across the sporting world.
The Award Winners were:
Lifetime Achievement Award: Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson
Outstanding Contribution to Cricket: Derek Underwood
Outstanding Contribution to Football: Sir Geoff Hurst MBE
Outstanding Contribution to Horse-Racing: Henry Cecil
Outstanding Contribution to Sport Journalism: Colin Hart
Outstanding Contribution to Televised Sport: Clare Balding
Outstanding Contribution to Tennis: Greg Rusedski
Outstanding Courage: Alastair Hignell
The Awards were kindly hosted by Sky Sports presenter Gary Newbon and featured a fantastic performance from star of Dead Ringers, Kevin Connolly. Adger Brown also conducted The Variety Club Auction in his usual fantastic style.
The awards were presented by members of The Variety Club crew as well as British athletic legend John Regis and other award sponsors. Acceptance speeches were made throughout, with the highlights of each winner's career played on screen.
Alastair Hignell, the winner of the Outstanding Courage Award was given a standing ovation by the Wembley Suite as he made his acceptance. Alastair has been battling MS for over nine years whilst maintaining his position at the very top of British broadcasting. Tributes were paid to him by Rugby legend Lawrence Dallaglio, Chairman of the Multiple Sclerosis Society Lawrence Wood, BBC Sport broadcaster Roger Mosey and BBC presenter Ian Robertson. Lawrence Dallaglio also dedicated his Wasps side's 2008 Guinness Premiership Championship to Alastair naming him 'the most inspirational and brave man' he'd ever met.
Clare Balding also gave a heartfelt acceptance speech following the recent controversy over her 'Toothgate' mistake. Fully accepting responsibility for her actions she started by thanking The Variety Club for not rescinding the award. Clare then explained that her intention was never to cause offence and how she had actually written to Liam Treadwell's mother apologising for her comments. She also remarked that Liam has actually now been offered several thousand pounds worth of cosmetic surgery for free by several leading clinics.
The winner of the Outsanding Contribution to Sports Journalism, Colin Hart, told a fascinating tale about covering the infamous 'Rumble in the Jungle'. Having been reporting on boxing for over 40 years Colin has seen just about everything, and even he was slightly taken aback with conditions in Zaire in 1974. However it was the fact that his Editor at the time congratulated him on being the only journalist to predict the correct winner in the fight by asking him why he said Foreman would fall in the 9th round and not the 8th. (Photo courtesy of Jim Keogh)
Greg Rusedski accepted his award in his usual inimitable style commenting that he now believes that in Andy Murray we have a serious contender for the Wimbledon Title.
Sir Geoff Hurst MBE was presented his award for Contribution to Football by the award sponsor Simon Bamber and mentioned how much he thinks the World Cup has changed since his victory in 1966. He said "Now rather than a team of 11 who might win the tournament you have to have much greater strength in depth and really your team is made up of 15 or 16 individuals"
A fantastic night was had by all, with tens of thousands of pounds raised for the sick, disabled and disadvantaged children and young people that The Variety Club support. A big thanks to everyone who made the Sports Awards happen, in particular all the Award Sponsors and those who donated to the auction.
The 27th Variety Club Sports Awards
