Clare Balding met wife Alice Arnold when they both worked at the BBC in the 1990s, admitting she had one major question she wanted to ask in the early days of their relationship
Clare Balding revealed she had a major question for her wife Alice Arnold when they began dating
Clare Balding had a “big question” for her wife Alice Arnold when the pair first started dating. Clare, 55, met 64-year-old Alice when they were both working on the BBC in 1999.
Their relationship blossomed and in 2006 they entered into a civil partnership together, later marrying in 2015, when same-sex marriage was legalised. And while the pair have now been together for over 26 years, Clare says there was one thing that could have been a deal-breaker.
The BBC Sport presenter says she is a lover of animals, having grown up surrounded by “hundreds” of horses and dogs. It meant Clare always wanted to have a dog in her life as an adult.
Speaking on the Bookshelfie podcast, she said: “When Alice and I first got together my big question, ahead of everything, was, ‘Can we get a dog?’ It’s really important. Twenty four years later I’m glad she said, ‘Yes, we can get a dog’.”
Podcast host Yomi Adegoke, added: “You need to lay that groundwork because if the answers are not aligned, this is not going to work.”
Alice has previously admitted that allowing her wife to have a dog was one of the “original commitments” she made during the early stage of their relationship. In Clare’s book, Isle of Dogs, former Radio 4 announcer Alice said she would “never go back” on the pledge.
Clare admits she was left with a “dog-shaped hole” in her heart in 2020 after her much-loved Tibetan terrier Archie had to be put to sleep. While she says it was the “best decision” for the dog, she admits she “thinks about him everyday”.
After Archie’s death, Clare felt compelled to continue walking his favourite routes around Chiswick, London, to honour his memory.
Speaking to The Times, Clare said: “After Archie died in 2020 I wanted to walk his favourite route repeatedly to remember him, which seems a rather masochistic thing to do, and it was so painful because we kept seeing dogs we knew, and I’d stop to say hello before bursting into tears. We cried a heck of a lot, but slowly it became easier.”
Clare hopes that she and Alice will swap London for the countryside eventually so they can welcome a new dog into their lives. Clare explained: “We’re looking to move out of London, and one of the main reasons for that is to have a bit more space and protection from the road so it’s a good environment for a dog.
“As soon as we’re settled, it’s our plan – probably next spring. I smile at the thought of having a dog back in our lives.”
Clare previously revealed to MailOnline that she yearns for “everything a dog brings” to her life, from the icy winter strolls to the “enthusiastic greeting” Archie would offer her upon returning home from work.
She describes Archie as the “perfect dog” because he didn’t moult, which mattered greatly to Alice, who suffers from dog allergies. Clare, who hosts Crufts on Channel 4, explained: “Tibetan terriers are small enough to pick up but strong enough to go on long walks.
“They are intelligent, loyal and full of character. They are good guard dogs but don’t yap without cause.”
Clare will be presenting the coverage of the Winter Olympics on BBC Two between 6pm and 10pm tonight (February 7). It will feature the final run of the men’s singles luge, the ski jumping medal ceremony, and the big air run of the men’s snowboarding among others.