Prankster sneaked into Sports Personality of the Year to chat with Gareth Southgate, sit next to Clare Balding and down free beer in latest embarrassment for gaffe-hit awards
- Simon Wilson, 26, donned a suit and walked straight into the backstage area
- He carried a camera and pretended to be on the phone at Liverpool Echo Arena
- He spent time with Blue Peter presenters before walking down the red carpet
- BBC criticised after video link cut out before Sir Mo Farah could accept award
The BBC faced more embarrassment today over its gaffe-hit Sports Personality of the Year awards after it emerged a prankster managed to sneak into the show.
Simon Wilson, 26, donned a suit and walked straight into the backstage area at the event by carrying a camera on his shoulder and pretending to be on the phone.
The videographer from Rhosllanerchrugog, North Wales, spent time with the Blue Peter presenters before slipping past the rope and waltzing down the red carpet.
Simon Wilson (right) appeared on camera next to presenter Clare Balding (left) in a VIP seat
Mr Wilson spoke with England football boss Gareth Southgate and posed for a picture (above)
Mr Wilson could be seen on the BBC One show and claimed he was never asked for his name
The incident emerged after the BBC was labelled 'a shambles' after a video link cut out before Sir Mo Farah could make his acceptance speech for the top prize.
Mr Wilson stopped for a selfie and even appeared on camera at the Liverpool Echo Arena on Sunday evening next to presenter Clare Balding in a VIP seat.
After enjoying some free drinks at the bar he spoke with England football manager Gareth Southgate, boxer Anthony Joshua and diver Tom Daley.
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He was amazed that he could walk straight into the auditorium and took up a seat next to the aisle from where presenters were narrating on the BBC One show.
Mr Wilson, who can be seen in one live TV shot grinning straight into the camera, claimed he was never asked for his name.
He said: 'It was a brilliant night. It was easy in the sense that nobody challenged me, but I don't want to sound big headed but it isn't as easy as it looks.
Mr Wilson stood with journalists backstage as Anthony Joshua was interviewed at the event
World’s Strongest Man Edward Hall in action at the Sports Personality of the Year awards
'I was on the red carpet, mingling with the celebrities and having a fair few beers of Heineken. It was a good night.'
Mr Wilson booked a hotel near the venue, and donned a suit, glasses and bow tie, before heading over there.
After failing to get in through the loading bay, he headed to another entrance where he told security he was with the catering team.
He was told to queue up and sign in, but waited before pretending he was on the phone and walking through a nearby doors.
After spending a few minutes lost in a labyrinth of corridors, he found an official with a clipboard, who presumed he was a member of the press.
He was directed towards the red carpet, where he stood next to the reporters from Blue Peter and Newsround.
During the live broadcast a camera appeared to show Gary Lough, the husband of Paula Radcliffe, saying that the win for four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah was a 'f***ing joke'
'I saw a little gap in the rope and thought 'I wonder if I can get through that gap' and I did,' he said. 'I just walked up the red carpet. It was amazing.'
The carpet led to a VIP drinks reception - where Mr Wilson grabbed some beers and canapés - before he followed Mike 'Speedo' Cullen to his seat.
Mr Cullen was nominated for the Unsung Hero prize at the award for turning up to Everton matches home and away in his trunks for charity.
Mr Wilson stuck around for some after-show mingling until about 11pm - seven hours after he snuck in.
'I couldn't believe it when I saw how close I was, and then saw the TV cameras next to me,' he said. 'It was amazing.'
Mr Wilson, who is known for his pranks online, has a YouTube channel and has previously got into the Emmys in Los Angeles, the MTV Europe Music Awards and the Floyd Mayweather Jr v Conor McGregor fight in Las Vegas.
Sir Mo, the 34-year-old four-time Olympic champion, received the highest number of public votes despite having bookies' odds of up to 50/1.
But the athlete's coach was criticised after he appeared to mouth a disbelieving expletive as the distance runner was named Sports Personality of the Year.
The live link to Sir Mo broke down because of a 'generator failure'. Frustrated viewers at home were simply confronted with a blue screen with the words 'signal loss detected' (pictured)
Gabby Logan introduces Sports Personality of the Year winner via video link alongside Gary Lineker and Clare Balding
As his name was read out, his new coach Gary Lough turned to his wife, the long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe, and appeared to say: 'That's a f***ing joke.'
Sir Mo looked amazed to have won the title, putting his hands over his mouth in astonishment, and he was presented with the trophy by his daughter.
But almost immediately, the video link between the Liverpool Echo Area and St Mary's University in Twickenham broke down because of a 'generator failure'.
Frustrated viewers at home were simply confronted with a blue screen with the words 'signal loss detected'.
Presenters Gabby Logan, Gary Lineker and Clare Balding had to improvise to fill the gap, before Michael Johnson stepped in to praise the winner.
The technical fault could not be sorted in time for the 5.4million viewers to hear Sir Mo's acceptance speech – with only the 10,000 people in arena audience getting to hear it live.
Sir Mo, who received a knighthood from the Queen at Buckingham Palace in November, faced a number of surprises throughout the evening.
During his first interview, his unwell two-year-old son Hussein was seen crying and crawling over him, meaning he could not hear the questions.
And when his daughter Rhianna finally took his son into another room because he was being disruptive, Sir Mo's microphone had been knocked off so nobody could hear his answers.
Sir Mo was not in attendance at the awards but daughter Rhianna was on hand to share the moment with him in London
During his first interview, his unwell two-year-old son Hussein was seen crying and crawling over him, meaning he could not hear the questions
Due to the disruption caused by technical faults, The Apprentice final began 11 minutes after schedule and viewers were not given an apology from the broadcaster.
Following the embarrassing mistakes, the broadcaster came under fire as Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen said it 'wasn't the BBC's finest hour.'
And Cheshire Police slammed viewers who called their non-emergency number 101 to complain about the result, saying: 'Please think carefully before phoning us.'
The BBC referred media enquiries from MailOnline about Mr Wilson to the Liverpool Echo Arena.
And a venue spokesman said: 'The ACC Liverpool Group and our security partner OCS immediately launched an investigation following this serious breach of security.
'Robust procedures and protocols were put in place during the planning of Spoty and all security processes were completed.
'Unfortunately a breach has occurred due to individual human failing, enabling this person to gain entry into the venue and for that we take responsibility.
'We constantly monitor all of our security and safety procedures across all of our venues and in light of this incident a further review and a further tightening up of security has been implemented.
'We would like to reassure our customers that their safety is always of the utmost importance to us.
'We will continue to conduct an investigation, together with OCS, to establish how this incident was able to occur.'
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