Clare Balding's 'appalling' boyfriend and moment she spotted her cancer while on TV

Wales Online

07-07-2025

Clare Balding's 'appalling' boyfriend and moment she spotted her cancer while on TV
Wimbledon host Clare Balding has become one of the nation's most respected sports presenters during a 30-year career that has seen her front huge events and shows for the likes of the BBC, Channel 4 and BT Sport
Clare Balding at Wimbledon
(Image: Getty Images )
Clare Balding is once again in the middle of a very busy summer as she fronts the BBC's Wimbledon coverage.
With three decades in broadcasting under her belt, Balding has become one of the UK's most esteemed and recognisable presenters, having also led coverage of major sporting events like the Olympics, Grand National and Commonwealth Games. Her popularity has inevitably drawn attention to her life off-screen, with her personal relationships and even some controversies making headlines over the years.
Here's a look at Balding's life away from the studio, including her journey to openly embracing her sexuality, her 'appalling' ex-boyfriend, and an 'inexcusable' comment that remains one of her biggest regrets, reports Wales Online.
Who is Clare Balding's wife?
Balding met her wife, fellow broadcaster Alice Arnold, in 1999 while both were working for the BBC. Initially just good friends, they began dating in 2002 when a national newspaper publicly disclosed Balding's sexuality.
The couple entered into 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 marriage was then back-dated to their original 2006 commitment.
Reflecting on her initial encounter with Alice, Balding shared that she first spotted her at a BBC show without 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."
Describing her spouse as "fiercely loyal", the 53 year old presenter added: "She would protect me and it's an incredible quality to have. It's like having your own little guard dog - it's amazing."
Balding, a familiar face on BBC Sport, had previously been in relationships with men and even received a marriage proposal from one of her ex-boyfriends. However, she declined the offer and expressed no regrets about her decision, revealing that he later 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 disclosed. "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."
She elaborated: "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 the year 2009, Clare Balding shared the news that she had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
The broadcaster noticed the tell-tale signs including a lump on her throat while she watched herself on television, symptoms of which can include a persistent sore throat and difficulty swallowing.
She received treatment involving radioactive iodine to combat the spread of the disease after undergoing surgery to remove a cyst, her thyroid gland and a lymph node. Despite concerns about the effect of her illness on her voice and her ability to work, she was given the all-clear at the end of 2010.
Recounting her ordeal, 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 further revealed receiving 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."
Reflecting on her journey, she confessed she endured a "dark stage" due to her health challenges but emerged with a newfound appreciation for life, confessing: "When I recovered, my attitude to life changed. I feel happy most days, grateful for all I have."
TV rows
While Balding is widely regarded as one of the UK's most esteemed presenters, she recently found herself embroiled in controversy during her coverage of the Paris Olympics.
In a conversation with former Olympic swimming champion Rebecca Adlington, Balding appeared "incredulous" upon hearing that no Olympians had visited Adlington's school during her childhood. This prompted accusations of classism from viewers.
The discussion unfolded after fellow pundit Mark Foster recounted how an encounter with Duncan Goodhew at his local swimming club had "inspired" him when he was younger. When asked if she had experienced something similar, Adlington responded: "To be fair, I didn't have somebody like that," leading to a seemingly astonished Balding, who attended private school, to ask: "No one came to your school? !".
This comment sparked outrage among some viewers, with one stating: "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."
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Despite the backlash, BBC colleague Gabby Logan came to Balding's defence, replying to a viewer: "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."
Afterwards, Logan clarified: "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."
Clare Balding previously stirred controversy with her infamous comment to the late jockey Liam Treadwell after his Grand National win. She light-heartedly suggested that he could now afford dental work, saying: "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."
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Treadwell, who sadly passed away in 2020 at the age of 34, replied in good humour: "Well I could do, but I ain't complaining. It might be bringing on bad luck if I do that, though."
The quip did not sit well with viewers, resulting in over 2,000 complaints being lodged with Ofcom. Balding expressed remorse over her words, conceding: "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."