The BBC have said that it was "impossible" for Gary Lineker to know the winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award before voting had opened.
The Match of the Day host had introduced cricketer Ben Stokes as the "main award winner" rather than a nominee when welcoming him to the stage halfway through the show.
Many on social media pointed out the error - especially when Stokes went on to be crowned the winner ahead of a shortlist that included Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton and athlete Dina Asher-Smith.
Lineker corrected himself during the live show and later took to Twitter to apologies, saying: "I wish I was that smart. I just f****d up. The voting hadn't even opened at that stage. Apologies."
He later jokingly tweeted: "Congratulations to @benstokes38 on a deserved win. What a summer he gave us cricket fans. Never saw it coming, honest."
And the BBC issued a statement saying that there was no way for Lineker to have known the winner before the phone lines opened.
A spokesperson said: “Gary’s comment was human error and he corrected himself as soon as possible on air. It’s impossible for Gary, or anyone else, to know the winner before voting opens."
