BBC presenter Sally Nugent was seen visibly fighting back tears during an emotional interview with rugby league legend Sir Kevin Sinfield on BBC Breakfast this morning. Sinfield received a knighthood in the King's birthday honours list for his phenomenal fundraising efforts for Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Emotional Interview
The 45-year-old has raised more than £11 million over the past seven years after his friend and fellow rugby league legend Rob Burrow was diagnosed with MND in 2019. Burrow passed away in 2024. In the interview, Sinfield became emotional when asked if Burrow was in his thoughts upon receiving the letter from the King.
"You are not making me cry again!" Sinfield said to the BBC. He added: "He's in it a lot anyway. He's still inspiring. The courage and bravery he showed is still rippling and ripping right through the MND community and the rugby codes."
Remembering Rob Burrow
Sinfield continued: "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 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."
When the camera panned to Nugent, she could be seen emotional as Sinfield spoke. Sinfield, who also served as an England rugby union coach, has been widely acclaimed for his tireless work in raising awareness of MND. The condition has affected a number of prominent rugby figures, including former England internationals Lewis Moody and Ed Slater, while Scotland great Doddie Weir and South Africa legend Joost van der Westhuizen both lost their lives to the disease.
Sinfield's Reaction to Knighthood
"I'm still coming to terms with it," Sinfield told the BBC. "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."
