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| Sports Personality 2018: Lewis Hamilton 'used wrong words' | Sports Personality 2018: Lewis Hamilton 'used wrong words' |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Lewis Hamilton has sought to explain a remark at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year (Spoty) awards in which he apparently insulted his hometown. | Lewis Hamilton has sought to explain a remark at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year (Spoty) awards in which he apparently insulted his hometown. |
| The F1 ace, who hails from Stevenage, said it had been his dream to "get out of the slums". | The F1 ace, who hails from Stevenage, said it had been his dream to "get out of the slums". |
| His comment sparked outrage on social media from fans and residents of the Hertfordshire town. | His comment sparked outrage on social media from fans and residents of the Hertfordshire town. |
| Speaking earlier on Instagram, Hamilton said he was "super proud" of Stevenage, and that he "chose the wrong words". | Speaking earlier on Instagram, Hamilton said he was "super proud" of Stevenage, and that he "chose the wrong words". |
| During the awards, he said: "It really was a dream for us all as a family to do something different. For us to get out of the slums. | During the awards, he said: "It really was a dream for us all as a family to do something different. For us to get out of the slums. |
| "Well, not the slums, but to get out of somewhere and do something. We all set our goals very, very high but we did it as a team." | "Well, not the slums, but to get out of somewhere and do something. We all set our goals very, very high but we did it as a team." |
| Stevenage: The town that aimed for Utopia | |
| The remark sparked a backlash and prompted the leader of Stevenage Borough Council to say it was "disappointing" and that people felt "very offended". | The remark sparked a backlash and prompted the leader of Stevenage Borough Council to say it was "disappointing" and that people felt "very offended". |
| Five-time F1 world champion Hamilton took to Instagram to "send a message to the people back in the UK but also to the people of Stevenage". | Five-time F1 world champion Hamilton took to Instagram to "send a message to the people back in the UK but also to the people of Stevenage". |
| "I'm super-proud of where I've come from and I hope that you know that I represent in the best way that I can always and nobody's perfect," he said. | "I'm super-proud of where I've come from and I hope that you know that I represent in the best way that I can always and nobody's perfect," he said. |
| "I definitely make mistakes quite often and particularly when you're up in front of a crowd trying to find the right words to express the long journey that you've had in life. I chose the wrong words. | "I definitely make mistakes quite often and particularly when you're up in front of a crowd trying to find the right words to express the long journey that you've had in life. I chose the wrong words. |
| "But I didn't mean anything by it and those of you who know me know that I always mean love so God bless you. Have a great day." | "But I didn't mean anything by it and those of you who know me know that I always mean love so God bless you. Have a great day." |
| The video was later removed from Hamilton's Instagram page. | |
| Stevenage was designated the UK's first New Town in 1946. | Stevenage was designated the UK's first New Town in 1946. |
| Devised as a radical solution to London's post-war housing crisis, it now has a population of about 88,000. | Devised as a radical solution to London's post-war housing crisis, it now has a population of about 88,000. |
| Other sporting and celebrity stars that hail from the town include the footballer Ashley Young, golfer Ian Poulter and actor Leslie Phillips. |