Clare Balding's famous partner and TV comment that sparked Ofcom complaints

Daily Mirror

2 days ago

Wimbledon presenter Clare Balding has become one of the UK's most popular broadcasters over the past two decades, while her private life has also become the subject of much intrigue
Clare Balding is once again in the thick of things this summer as she leads the BBC's Wimbledon coverage. With three decades of experience under her belt, Balding has become one of the most recognised and respected faces on British television.
She has previously fronted the BBC's coverage of high-profile sporting events such as the Olympics, Grand National and the Commonwealth Games. This evening, she will be at the forefront of the broadcaster's coverage of SW19, where Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will face off in the men's final.
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Given Balding 's rise in prominence, there has naturally been an increased interest in her personal life, with her romantic relationships and occasional controversies attracting public attention. And we will now look to provide an in-depth insight into Balding's world beyond the cameras.
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Who is Clare Balding married to?
Balding met her wife, fellow presenter Alice Arnold, in 1999 while they were both working for the BBC. Initially close friends, their romantic relationship began in 2002 when a national publication disclosed Balding's sexuality to the public.
The couple made their relationship official with a civil partnership in 2006 and later married in a private ceremony in 2015, following the legalisation of same-sex marriage in the UK. Their wedding was subsequently backdated to honour their original 2006 pledge.
Reflecting on her first meeting with Alice, Balding admitted that she was immediately drawn to her at a BBC programme, despite not knowing who she was. "I saw her and thought 'Oh, she's really interesting and rather beautiful'," she recalled.
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"We started chatting and she's very funny. We were friends for at least two years."
Balding, 53, described her partner as "fiercely loyal", adding: "She would protect me and it's an incredible quality to have. It's like having your own little guard dog - it's amazing."
Alice has had a successful career in her own right as a broadcaster for the BBC, including an impressive 18-year stint on BBC Radio 4.
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Balding has had relationships with men in the past and was even proposed to by one of her former boyfriends. She turned down the proposal and has no regrets about it, later learning that he went on to "behave appallingly".
"I had a few boyfriends, not like loads. But I had one very serious boyfriend for two or three years," she explained. "He asked me to marry him and he was in the Army and he was going off. And I thought 'he's only asking me because he thinks he's in danger and, according to romantic films, I'm meant to say yes at this point'.
"I knew I didn't want to. I said 'Look, that's a lovely thing to say but ask me again when you come back'. When he came back he didn't ask me again, and I thought ''Thank God''. I thought 'I don't trust you and I'll never trust you' - and funnily enough I was absolutely spot on as his ex-wife told me not that long ago."
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She continued: "That relationship ended not very well with him behaving appallingly. I think I was damaged by that, but that doesn't make you gay. I just think when I first fell in love with a woman it was completely different."
Cancer diagnosis
In 2009, Balding shared her thyroid cancer diagnosis. The presenter spotted the warning signs, including a noticeable lump on her neck, while viewing herself on screen - symptoms which can encompass a lingering sore throat and trouble swallowing.
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After undergoing surgery to remove a cyst, her thyroid gland and a lymph node, she was treated with radioactive iodine to halt the cancer's spread. Despite concerns over the potential impact on her voice and career, she fortunately received the all-clear by the end of 2010.
Discussing her experience, Balding said: "I had to have a little operation just before Christmas to take out a nasty little lymph node and there was a worry that I might have to have more treatment."
She also shared some positive news: "But I had a lovely letter from my oncologist just after Christmas saying, 'Hurrah, no more treatment', so I'm very happy about that. 2011 is going to be a good one."
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Looking back on her battle, she admitted going through a "dark stage" because of her health struggles but came out with a renewed outlook on life, admitting: "When I recovered, my attitude to life changed. I feel happy most days, grateful for all I have."
Broadcasting controversies
Despite being one of Britain's esteemed presenters, Balding found herself embroiled in controversy during the 2024 Paris Olympics coverage. During a chat with former Olympic swimming champion Rebecca Adlington on air, Balding was surprised to learn no Olympic athletes had visited Adlington's school in her youth, which led to accusations of classism from viewers.
The topic arose when pundit Mark Foster spoke about being "inspired" by meeting Duncan Goodhew at his swimming club as a child. Having asked if Adlington had a similar encounter, she answered: "To be fair, I didn't have somebody like that," to which a clearly astonished Balding, who had a private education, asked: "No one came to your school?!"
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Her remark sparked indignation among some viewers, with one commenting: "Of course Balding thought it TOTALLY NORMAL for Olympic medal winners to visit schools - because being privately educated and descended from nobility and privilege, this kind of thing is part of the cultural experience they expect."
However, Balding's BBC colleague Gabby Logan came to her defence. She responded to a critical comment with: "I'm sure lots of what you say may be true about private school experiences, but it's certainly not true about the whole of the BBC. I went to a state school nobody visited, teachers were striking in the 80's, and no school trips. NB 'Speakers for Schools' is great charity."
Logan added "Also to be clear I love my colleague and she's a great broadcaster. But a sweeping statement about the BBC needed addressing. Look at our OG line up across the day, we are a mixed bag from different backgrounds bringing all our many experiences to the way we communicate."
It wasn't Balding's first encounter with public outrage. She once made a notorious comment to the late jockey Liam Treadwell after he won the Grand National, where she said jokingly that now he could afford dental treatment, commenting: "Liam, just give us a big grin to the camera, let's see your teeth. He hasn't got the best teeth in the world, but you can afford to go and get them done now if you like."
Treadwell, who sadly passed away in 2020 at the age of 34, took the comment with grace, responding: "Well I could do, but I ain't complaining. It might be bringing on bad luck if I do that, though."
However, viewers reacted badly to the exchange, leading to over 2,000 complaints being lodged with Ofcom. Balding showed regret for her comments, admitting: "It was a terrible thing to do. It coincided with my illness and I believed that was it for me – I would never work again. It was inexcusable and it taught me a big lesson."