The rugby league legend gave an emotional interview to the BBC this morning
A BBC presenter was seen visibly fighting back tears in an emotional interview with rugby league legend Sir Kevin Sinfield this morning.
Sinfield received a knighthood in the King's birthday honours list due to his phenomenal fundraising efforts for Motor Neurone Disease.
The 45-year-old has raised more than £11m over the past seven years after his friend and fellow rugby league legend Rob Burrow was diagnosed with MND in 2019 before passing away in 2024.
In an interview with BBC journalist Sally Nugent for BBC Breakfast this morning, the pair were visibly emotional and had to fight back tears.
"You are not making me cry again!," said an emotional Sinfield to the BBC when asked if Burrow was in his thoughts when he received the letter from the King."
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.
"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."
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When the camera panned on 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 motor neurone disease.
The condition has cast a long shadow over rugby union, affecting a number of the sport's most prominent figures.
Former England internationals Lewis Moody and Ed Slater are living with MND, while Scotland great Doddie Weir and South Africa legend Joost van der Westhuizen both lost their lives to the disease.
"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."
