A BBC presenter has neatly summed up the controversy surrounding Tyson Fury’s inclusion on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year (Spoty) shortlist – in unusually frank style.

Clive Myrie, a 27-year veteran of the BBC, was discussing the issue on his The Papers programme at 11.30pm on Monday night with the Telegraph’s Christopher Hope and political commentator Miranda Green.

And after glancing down at his watch to confirm that “it’s after the watershed”, Myrie said: “You cannot be a d******* and win Sports Personality of the Year.”

Tyson Fury has courted controversy since being named heavyweight champion of the world (Getty Images)

Smiling, the presenter hastened to add that he might be considered as such by “those people signing this petition”.

Fury was crowned heavyweight champion of the world after beating Wladimir Klitschko in a major sporting upset in Munich a week ago.

It led to him being included on the BBC Spoty shortlist alongside the likes of British athletes Ennis-Hill, Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford.

Clive Myrie presents the late-night BBC 'The Papers' programme (BBC)

Myrie said Fury was an “amazing sportsman”. But he said: “Having heard him interviewed, he seems to be confusing having ‘a personality’ with having ‘a good personality’.”

A spokeswoman for the BBC told The Independent: "We apologise to any viewers who were offended by the language Clive Myrie used during a discussion on the late night paper review on the News Channel.”

Fury has said he believes he “should” win the prestigious annual award, whose former holders include Lewis Hamilton, Andy Murray, Bradley Wiggins and – going further back – the likes of Sebastian Coe, Sir Bobby Moore and Princess Anne.

Britain's current boxing world champions Show all 8 1 /8 Britain's current boxing world champions Britain's current boxing world champions Britain's current boxing world champions Getty Britain's current boxing world champions Tyson Fury WBC heavyweight AFP Britain's current boxing world champions Anthony Joshua IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight PA Britain's current boxing world champions Callum Smith WBA super middleweight (Super) Getty Britain's current boxing world champions Billy Joe Saunders WBO super middleweight Getty Britain's current boxing world champions Josh Taylor WBA and IBF light welterweight Getty Britain's current boxing world champions Terri Harper IBF super featherweight Getty Britain's current boxing world champions Josh Warrington IBF featherweight Getty

But when asked in an interview about his fellow nominee Ennis-Hill, he said: “That’s the runner isn’t it? I think she's good, she's won quite a few medals for Britain, she slaps up good as well, when she's got a dress on she looks quite fit.”

The controversy over Fury’s divisive views began with an interview with the Mail on Sunday, in which the boxer reportedly compared homosexuality and abortion to paedophilia.

“There are only three things that need to be accomplished before the devil comes home,” he was quoted as saying.