Fans tear the BBC a new one over its “cringe” and “embarrassing” SPOTY tribute to Scottish football – 20 spot-on reactions
It has been a momentous year for Scottish football, with manager Steve Clark leading the brilliant team to qualify for next year’s World Cup – which will be the team’s first appearance at the event since 1998.
So it stands to reason that the BBC would want to mark Scotland’s huge year at the Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) ceremony.
Scottish comedian and Love Island narrator Iain Stirling was brought in to do the honours – but the result has not gone down well with viewers.
A celebration of a landmark year in Scottish football from @IainDoesJokes and others
An even better 2026 ahead? pic.twitter.com/4fXVwJGmEP
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 18, 2025
The segment saw Stirling talking about Clark and the team’s success, with bagpipes music playing and two kids waving the saltire. The audience were also seen sporting small Scottish flags before a DJ started playing ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’
People online have criticised the tribute, saying Scotland – and its achievement – deserved more respect. Here’s a taster of the responses.
1.
A celebration would have been nominating Steve Clarke for coach of the year. Not this rubbish.
— Graeme Johnstone (@graemejohnstone) December 20, 2025
2.
Note to the BBC: the power of Scotland and why they deserved more respect than a cringey wave-a-thon on Spoty. Where to start? Second oldest footballing nation in the world. Developed styles of football 150 years ago still pursued today. No Scotland, no passing. Helped spread the…
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) December 19, 2025
3.
One of the worst things I’ve watched. An incredible achievement by @ScotlandNT condensed down to absolute “Scottish Cringe” patter. Bore off. https://t.co/feVtPegjru
— Craig Johnston (@Craigpjohnston) December 19, 2025
4.
Scotland World Cup segment on BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Absolutely cringeworthy patronising nonsense. Whoever came up with this should have a harsh word with themselves. pic.twitter.com/JsvuJrqjPF
— James Melville (@JamesMelville) December 19, 2025
5.
ah yes, the Scottish cringe. it's been a while.
patronising, condescending pish.
this felt like the 2014 indyref lovebombing we used to get. "we also love haggis"
what part of london is this comedian from?
this piece has managed to piss off everyone, Scottish people the most.
— William Mohieddeen (@Mocko500) December 19, 2025
6.
https://t.co/g1tmggAZI1 pic.twitter.com/cNxcwxMepz
— Reece1872 (@CampbellReece98) December 19, 2025
7.
And why did you @IainDoesJokes agree to embarrass yourself and our nation with this utter pish?
I found it belittling and for the life of me I can’t believe you did this.
I can’t believe you thought this was a good idea.
You should have told them to ‘GTF’ unless it was your… https://t.co/oscQZupa9X
— Ewen Cameron (@EwenDCameron) December 19, 2025
8.
THIS is how the BBC treats Scotland. Patronizing and painful. Awful, truly awful. https://t.co/GJP74CInc1
— Dr Leigh Jones (@drleighannjones) December 20, 2025
9.
Horrendous. Fantastic achievement from our national team belittled to this pish. Scottish cringe to the maximum. https://t.co/SNYI44CxkS
— John Lindsay (@John_Arab) December 18, 2025
10.
That was just shit…really really shit
Why does the BBC treat Scotland in sport as some joke https://t.co/op8OcbXvtk pic.twitter.com/h1jTK4MJ3W
— James Søren Anderson (@JamesSrenAnder1) December 19, 2025
11.
This is the most cringe arse-licking shite I've seen in years and @IainDoesJokes epitomises the cap in hand wankstains that belittle themselves for Southern cash https://t.co/54den2WTjk
— Taylor (@dtaylor5633) December 19, 2025
12.
When people go why is there an anti English sentiment north of the border growing up watching shit like this is certainly part of the issue https://t.co/oaAy6JnSGy
— Adam Logan (@adamlogan93) December 20, 2025
13.
Who is this for? Twee rubbish. https://t.co/Gu952Ttq9p
— Andy Harrow (@andyharrow) December 19, 2025
14.
We didn’t nominate Scott McTominay but will get @IainDoesJokes to peddle some patronising tosh to assuage them. That’ll work, right?
L. E. A. D. B. A. L. L. O. O. N. https://t.co/MiR0zVtiRs
— Matthew Reilly (@matthewrestored) December 19, 2025
15.
Not even remotely funny. Patronising nonsense. https://t.co/QBcbRUG1hr
— Alex W.R Grant (@Alexgmanutd98) December 20, 2025
16.
That's embarrassing – rather we were ignored – a respectful brief review of that great night would have sufficed
— Fraser (@fmeikle) December 19, 2025
17.
The cringeometer broke. Shattered into a thousand pieces.
I’m so sorry about this, I apologise on behalf of Scotland and its people. https://t.co/4WtyQSE64n— Ray of Sunshine on Leith (@RaymondoBroon) December 19, 2025
18.
Honestly @BBCSport, if this is how your going to cover Scotland, we’re better off with the wall to wall England coverage once the tournament starts https://t.co/SZZ0ooHZRJ
— Calum McCaffery (@calummac94) December 19, 2025
19.
Pitching it was bad.
Approving it was worse.
Broadcasting it was appalling.
But highlighting it (putting it out there for approval for those of us lucky to have missed it) is genuinely staggering. https://t.co/nDoDlaIJfJ— FF (@Follow_Follow_) December 19, 2025
20.
Never have I seen every faction of Scotland so united in saying that this was an utter abomination.
— IndyIsNormal (@IndyIsNormal) December 19, 2025