A BBC presenter was visibly emotional while interviewing rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield on BBC Breakfast this morning. Sinfield received a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours for his extensive fundraising efforts for Motor Neurone Disease.
Over the past seven years, Sinfield has raised over £11 million following the MND diagnosis of his friend and former teammate Rob Burrow in 2019. Burrow passed away in 2024.
During the interview, both Sinfield and journalist Sally Nugent were visibly moved and had to fight back tears. When asked if Burrow was in his thoughts upon receiving the letter from the King, Sinfield said, "You are not making me cry again!" He added, "He's in it a lot anyway. He's still inspiring."
Sinfield remarked, "The courage and bravery he showed is still rippling and ripping right through the MND community and the rugby codes. In sport across the UK, people want to talk to me about Rob all the time. He's never out of my thoughts, but I'd have loved to have seen his smile when I told him this news because he loved everything we did."
He continued, "He provided the inspiration for it all. I just think he'd be so happy. He wanted to make it better for those who came after him. He's certainly done that and will continue to do that, but I would have loved to have seen his smile this morning."
As Sinfield spoke, the camera showed Nugent visibly moved. Sinfield, who also held a coaching role with the England rugby union side, is widely admired for his dedication to raising MND awareness.
The disease has affected many rugby figures, including former England internationals Lewis Moody and Ed Slater, who are battling MND, and the late Scotland legend Doddie Weir and South Africa icon Joost van der Westhuizen.
Sinfield expressed his feelings about the knighthood, saying, "I'm still coming to terms with it. I'm very humbled and overwhelmed by all of it. I think when you've played a team sport, it feels very different to get individual awards. Effectively all I wanted to do was win team trophies or team awards. I'm a little bit embarrassed but massively overwhelmed and humbled."
