Tyson Fury apologized publicly at BBC Sports Personality of the Year as gay rights protests picket studio over his homophobic comments.

Heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury has tonight apologised for his controversial comments about homosexuality and women, claiming they were made 'tongue in cheek' and it was never his 'intention' to hurt anyone.

It came just hours after a small but vocal group of protesters picketed the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony over the shortlisting of controversial boxing champion Tyson Fury.

Up to 30 gay and equal-rights campaigners held banners and chanted slogans such as 'anti-woman, anti-gay, Tyson Fury go away' and 'Tyson Fury hear us clear, we don't want your bigotry here'.

During an interview on stage with host Gary Lineker, Fury said: 'I've said a lot of stuff in the past and none of it with intentions to hurt anybody. It's all very tongue in cheek, it's all fun and games to me. 

I'm not a very serious kind of person - it's all very happy-go-lucky with Tyson Fury.

If I've said anything in the past that's hurt anybody, I apologise.'

Twelve of the biggest names in sport are going head-to-head for the coveted prize, including controversial world boxing heavyweight champion Fury.

Among the favourites to take the title are tennis star Andy Murray, 28, who helped make history by guiding Great Britain to their first Davis Cup victory for almost 80 years, and heptathlete Jessica 

Ennis-Hill, 29, who won her second world title in Beijing in August, just months after giving birth.

Others in the running include 'king of the long jump' Greg Rutherford, who took gold at the World Championships, Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, world road race cycling champion Lizzie 

Armitstead and runner Mo Farah, who also enjoyed success in Beijing, winning his third successive 5,000m world gold medal.

The protest outside Belfast's SSE arena was kept well away from the red carpet but coincided with the arrival of the 7,500 audience. Fury sidestepped the controversy after he declined to add to the storm surrounding his comments.

 At least one fellow-nominee for BBC Sports Personality of the Year said he would not share a drink with Britain's world champion boxer at a glittering red carpet reception before the awards ceremony in Belfast.

Fellow nominee and Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford said: 'He is not the sort of somebody I would spend any time with socially.

'There would be multiple people I won't and that is not down to anything in particular, that is just the way it is.'

John O'Doherty, director of The Rainbow Project, an LBGT support group, said: 'It is very disappointing that the BBC have ignored public opinion and refused to remove Tyson Fury from the shortlist, even though his late addition came after his disgraceful and inflammatory comments about women and gay people.

'An excellent boxer Tyson Fury may be, however his extremely callous and erroneous remarks about our community make him an unworthy candidate to be recognised among the UK's excellent sporting personalities and ambassador.

Fury has faced a barrage of criticism over his personal views since his victory over Ukranian Wladimir Klitschko to win the WBA, IBF and WBO belts in Dusseldorf last month.

Some 130,000 people had signed a petition calling for the BBC to remove the controversial fighter from its shortlist after allegedly homophobic and sexist comments.

Eighteen-year-old Aoife Dowds-Gibson said she felt compelled to take a stand. She said: 'I am disgusted by Tyson Fury's words and I don't think he should have been included in a personality award.'

Fury pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent boxing history when he beat Klitschko on points last month, making him Britain's first world heavyweight champion in six years.

But enthusiasm for the 27-year-old's remarkable victory quickly dampened when offensive comments he made about homosexuality, women and abortion came to light.

 This morning, he risked causing further anger after saying in a radio interview that his wife Paris was not going to the ceremony in Belfast because she's 'got the chicken roast on'.

He interrupted his own laughter by suggesting she would be 'chained to the bed. Handcuffed.'

The protesters were also joined by Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, who said he stood in solidarity with them but stopped short of saying the BBC should have excluded the boxer.

 Mr McGuinness said: 'We believe that the remarks that were made by Tyson Fury were disgraceful, they were appalling, they were misogynistic, they were homophobic and they have no place in a modern society. I think those remarks should be withdrawn.

'Apart from that, hopefully it is going to be a great night.

'I am someone who was the subject of an attempt made by the Thatcher administration to put pressure on the BBC to not show a programme that I participated in, so I don't think as a politician that I should dictate to broadcasters what should be on the airwaves or not.

'But I do think it is very important whenever we hear the sort of remarks that are made that we roundly condemn the remarks as ridiculous and out-of-date sentiments that they express.'

At the same time, bookmaker Paddy Power projected a rainbow mural featuring a photograph of Fury superimposed onto a dancer's body which read 'Don't be furious, be fabulous'.

As he arrived on the red carpet amid a flurry of camera flashes, Fury declined to give any interviews.

Courtney Robinson, from Fight4Equality, said: 'In Tyson Fury's neandarthal world view, women are merely objects designed to entertain and serve men.

'He thinks our bodies are simply vessels for reproduction and we shouldn't be allowed to choose for ourselves whether or not we want to have children.

'It is disgraceful that the BBC has allowed him to be nominated for Sports Personality of the Year. His personality is obnoxious and he should not be feted as a role model for young people.

Ruth McCarthy said: 'I don't think it is okay for a personality award to go to somebody who says things that are very damaging to gay people and to women. In this day and age, I just don't think it is appropriate.

'It is coming up to Christmas and there are people who won't be going home for Christmas because they are estranged from their families because homophobia has been perpetuated. The BBC should really be ashamed of themselves for this.'

Armitstead wore a flowing blue and red number as she posed on the carpet. A grinning Horan in a black suit and yellow tie posed for photographs with McIlroy on the red carpet.

The awards ceremony was held in the same SSE Arena in which One Direction cancelled a concert in Belfast earlier this year to the anguish of their legions of teenage fans.

Athlete Rebecca Adlington wore a daring black lace dress while tennis star Andy Murray, in dark suit and red tie, was accompanied by members of the British Davis Cup team.

Nominee Kevin Sinfield, who finished his rugby league career on a high, featuring in Leeds Rhinos' treble-securing Super League Grand Final win against Wigan, took to the carpet with his team-mates.

Twenty-time champion jump jockey AP McCoy, who retired earlier this year, was given a lifetime achievement award.

The Northern Irishman said: 'I am very lucky tonight to be receiving the lifetime achievement award.

'I look at the names on the trophy, previous winners, the likes of Pele, Seve Ballesteros, Sir Alex Ferguson, global sports stars, and I think that speaks for itself.

'SPOTY is a big thing, if someone is lucky enough to win the SPOTY, it is really 12 months of hard work and being successful, and whoever wins it thoroughly deserves it.

Meanwhile, Ellie Downie became the second consecutive gymnast to carry off the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award. The Nottingham 16-year-old succeeds Great Britain team-mate Claudia Fragapane, who won the award in 2014.

Downie became the first British female gymnast to win a major all-around medal when she won bronze at the European Championships. And she followed that up by clinching team gold at the World Championships in Glasgow alongside elder sister Becky, Fragapane, Ruby Harrold and Amy Tinkler.

Downie joins an illustrious list of previous winners of the award, including Wayne Rooney and Tom Daley.

Bailey Matthews was the recipient of the Helen Rollason Award, which is presented for an 'outstanding achievement in the face of adversity'. The eight-year-old from Yorkshire, who has cerebral palsy, completed a children's triathlon at Castle Howard in June.