Wikipedia

Clare Balding

Clare Victoria BaldingCBE(born 29 January 1971)[2]is an English broadcast journalist and author. She currently presents forBBC SportandChannel 4,and previouslyBT Sport,and formerly presented the programmeGood Morning SundayonBBC Radio 2.Balding was appointed as the 30th president of theRugby Football League,serving a two-year term until December 2022.[3]

Clare Balding
CBE
Balding in August 2017
Born
Clare Victoria Balding

(1971-01-29)29 January 1971(age 53)
Kingsclere,Hampshire,England
NationalityEnglish
Alma materNewnham College, Cambridge
Occupations
  • Television and radio presenter
  • journalist
  • jockey
Employers
Spouse
​
(m.2015)​
Parents
Relatives
Clare Balding's voice
from the BBC programmeDesert Island Discs,12 January 2013[1]

Early life and family

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Clare Victoria Balding was born on 29 January 1971, the daughter ofIan Baldingand Emma Balding, daughter of racehorse trainerPeter Hastings-Bass,of theEarls of Huntingdon.[2][4]She was privately educated at the independentDowne House Schoolin Berkshire, where she washead girl[5]and a contemporary of comedianMiranda Hart(Hart and Balding are tenth-cousins, sharing a nine-times-great-grandfather inSir William Leveson-Gower, 4th Baronet).[6]

Balding applied to read law atChrist's College, Cambridge,but failed her interview and realised that law was not what she most wanted to do.[7]She later successfully applied toNewnham College, Cambridge,and read English. While at university she was President of theCambridge Union Societyin Easter 1992 and graduated in 1993 with a 2:1 honours degree.[8][9]

From 1988 to 1993, Balding was a leading amateurflatjockey and Champion Lady Rider in 1990. Her memoirMy Animals and Other Family,which documents her life growing up in a racing yard, won theNational Book Awardfor "Autobiography of the Year" in 2012.

Balding has close family links to horse racing: her father, Ian Balding, trainedMill Reef,1971 winner ofThe Derby,Prix de l'Arc de TriompheandKing George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes;and her younger brother,Andrew Balding,trainedCasual Look,the winner of the 2003Epsom Oaks.The latter win led to a very emotional post-race interview with her brother. Her uncleToby Baldingtrained winners in theGrand National,Cheltenham Gold CupandChampion Hurdle.Furthermore, her maternal grandfather was the trainer Peter Hastings-Bass, and her maternal uncleWilliam Hastings-Bass, 17th Earl of Huntingdonwas once trainer toQueen Elizabeth II.Her maternal grandmother,Priscilla Hastings,was descended from theEarls of Derbyand was one of the first women elected to membership of theJockey Club.[10]

Balding's well-documented aristocratic lineage on her mother's side can be seen in records thatTheGenealogisthas identified in research.[2]Researchers found Balding's maternal line reveals that she is the great-granddaughter ofSir Malcolm Bullock,aMember of Parliament,whose sexuality had to be kept hidden becausehomosexualitywas illegal in Britain. His sexuality was investigated in her episode of theWho Do You Think You Are?programme first broadcast in July 2017. Balding's paternal grandfatherGerald Balding,was a 10-goal polo player who immigrated to America to play polo in the 1920s when he was in his 20s. Outbound passenger lists on a genealogy website include Balding's grandfather and it was at this time that Gerald Balding Sr met and later married the American heiress, Eleanor Hoagland. During the show, Balding discovered her great-great-great-grandfather wasJoseph Hoaglandwho, in 1866, founded theRoyal Baking Powder Companywith his brother, Cornelius. Through pioneering use of mass advertising campaigns, they contributed to building one of the largest producers ofbaking powderin the U.S.[2]

Broadcasting career

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Clare Balding in 2005

Balding became a trainee with BBC National Radio in 1994, working on5 Live,Radio 1(presenting the sport on theChris EvansBreakfast Show),Radio 2andRadio 4.In June 1995, she made her debut as a television presenter, introducing highlights ofRoyal Ascot.The following year she began presenting live, and in December 1997 she became the BBC's lead horse racing presenter after the retirement ofJulian Wilson.In his book "Some You Win" Wilson revealed he had a strained relationship with Balding and that led to him retiring in 1997.[11]Balding has fronted coverage of theGrand National,infamously humiliatingLiam Treadwell,Grand National winning jockey in 2009 onMon Mome.

Balding has reported from sevenOlympic Games,forBBC RadioinAtlantaand for BBC Television inSydney,Athens,Beijing,London,Rio de JaneiroandTokyo.She has presented fiveParalympic Games,theWinter OlympicsfromSalt Lake City,Turin,Vancouver,SochiPyeongchangandBeijingas well as theCommonwealth GamesfromMelbourne,Delhi,Glasgow,Gold Coastand the most recent games held inBirminghamin 2022. She was the face of the BBC'srugby leaguecoverage, having presentedGrandstandfrom a Rugby LeagueChallenge Cupsemi-final, and having been so impressed by the vibrancy and physical challenge of the sport she asked to cover further rugby league events. She was the last person to presentSunday Grandstand.

She also presents theLord Mayor's Showas well as other live events for the BBC, such asTrooping the Colour,New Year's Eve and lead commentary for thePlatinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.Balding has presented coverage ofCruftsfor the BBC from 2004 to 2009 and forChannel 4since 2013.

She also presents the walking programmeRamblingsforBBC Radio 4,where she walks and talks with one or more devotees of a particular route, area or activity and has, for example, walked sections of theLyke Wake Walk[12][13]andDales Way[14][15]for the programme.[16]Clare worked onBBC Radio 5 Live's Wimbledon coverage from 1995 to 2014. There has been some criticism of her in this role, due to her lack of knowledge and enthusiasm.[17][18]She has also presented coverage ofThe Boat Racefor theBBCsince 2010, including the first live coverage of the women'sBoat Raceon the Tideway in 2015.

In 2010, Balding presented a BBC TV series calledBritain By Bikethat retraced some ofHarold Briercliffe's British cycle tours.[19]

In August 2011 Balding joined BBC'sCountryfile,temporarily replacingJulia Bradburywhile Bradbury was on maternity leave, co-hosting the show withMatt Baker.Bradbury returned in February 2012.

From February to March 2012 she presentedSport and the Britishon BBC Radio 4, a thirty-part series looking at the impact of sports on British life.

Balding was a lead presenter on Channel 4's2012 Summer ParalympicsTV coverage.[20]In August 2012 it was reported that Balding would be presenting Channel 4's racing coverage, while still retaining an option to work for the BBC on non-racing programmes such asrugby league.[21]

In October 2012, she appeared before anAll Party Parliamentary Groupon women's sport, withKatherine Grainger,Hope PowellandTanni Grey-Thompson."Women having freedom to play sport leads directly to women having political freedom",said Balding.[22]In 2013, to mark the centenary ofEmily Wilding Davison's fatal intervention in the 1913 Derby, Balding presented a documentary about Davison for Channel 4 calledSecrets of the Suffragettes.[23]Also in 2013, she presented a BBC documentary about the Queen calledThe Queen – a Passion for Horses.[24]Other factual documentaries for the BBC have includedBritain By Bike,Operation Wild,andBritain's Hidden Heritage.

Clare Balding in December 2015

She serves as one of the presenters onBBC Sports Personality of the Year.Balding was the presenter ofGood Morning SundayonBBC Radio 2from January 2013 to November 2017; leaving the show due to schedule changes which would not allow her to continue to present the programme and do other work.[25]Balding also presented a Saturday night quiz show forBBC OnecalledBritain's Brightest,which began in January 2013. She was a senior presenter onChannel 4 Racing,from 2013 to 2016, predominantly fronting coverage of major festivals such asCheltenhamandRoyal Ascot.[26]Since 2015, she has frontedToday at Wimbledonfor the BBC. In 2023, Balding will be BBC's lead presenter for Wimbledon, replacingSue Barkerwho retired in 2022.[27]

Balding hosted her own sports chat show calledThe Clare Balding Show,which aired onBT SportandBBC Two.Guests have includedLewis Hamilton,Tom Daley,Mike Tyson,Martina Navratilova,Frankie Dettori,Judy MurrayandRonnie O'Sullivan.The show last aired in 2016.

Writing

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Balding has written columns forThe Sporting Life,Racing Post,Sunday Telegraph,TheEvening StandardandStylistand currently writes a regular weekly sports column forWaitroseWeekend.

She signed a deal withViking Pressto write an autobiography entitledMy Animals and Other Family,which was published in September 2012.[28][29]My Animals and Other Familyreached Number One inThe Sunday TimesBestseller list and has been translated into Italian, Mandarin and Hungarian. Her second book,Walking Home: My Family and other Ramblings,was published in September 2014.

Copy-control controversy

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Balding was involved in a copy-control controversy in 2017, when it was alleged that she or her agent rewrote part of an interview that she gave toSagamagazine, provoking the journalistGinny Dougaryto remove her byline from the interview. According to Dougary, Balding removed sections of the text and inserted promotional material about her new book, as well as details of her hosting of the women's European football championships and the words "And indeed she [Balding] sparkles all the way through the photo shoot," despite Dougary commenting that this was not the case and that Balding was rather "a brisk, jolly-hockey-sticks type".[30][31]In a statement, Saga claimed that it had not given Balding copy control and that the interview was edited in conjunction with the author.[32]

Honours, awards and assessment

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Balding was appointedOfficer of the Order of the British Empire(OBE) in the2013 Birthday Honoursfor services to broadcasting and journalism.[33][34]In the same year, Balding was presented with the special BAFTA for her work on the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.[35]

Balding won theRoyal Television Society's"Sports Presenter of the Year"in 2003 and"Presenter"in 2012. Also in 2003, she won the"Racing Journalist of the Year Award"and has followed up with the award for"Racing Broadcaster of the Year".

In December 2012, she was awarded the"Biography/Autobiography of the Year"award of theNational Book AwardsforMy Animals and Other Family.[36]

She won an achievement award from the UK chapter of theWomen in Film and Televisionin 2012 for her coverage of theOlympicsandParalympics.[37]

Balding was awarded the 2012Sports Journalists' Association's annual British Sports Journalism Award for Sports Broadcaster of the Year (BBC and Channel 4).[citation needed]

In February 2013 she was assessed as being one of the 100 most powerful women in the UK byWoman's Houron BBC Radio 4.[38]and also won the award for Sports Presenter at the Television andRadio Industries Club Awards.[citation needed]

Her other awards includeAttitude AwardsTV Personality of the Year 2012,TRICSports Presenter of the Year 2013,British Equestrian FederationOutstanding Journalist of the Year 2014,First Women AwardsLifetime Achievement 2015, theHorserace Writers' Association's Broadcaster of the Year award[39]and awards fromTatlermagazine.

Balding was made an Honorary Fellow ofNewnham College, Cambridgein 2014.[40]

She was appointedCommander of the Order of the British Empire(CBE) in the2022 Birthday Honoursfor services to sport and charity.[41]

Personal life

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Clare Balding formalised her relationship withAlice Arnold,then aBBC Radio 4continuity announcer and newsreader, in September 2006 by entering into acivil partnership.[42]The couple lived with theirTibetan terrier,Archie.[43]In April 2015, she and Arnold married in a private ceremony.[44]They live inChiswick,West London.[45]

On 29 May 2009, Balding announced that she hadthyroid cancer.She promised to be back on television covering theEpsom Derby,by the following Saturday. On 21 August 2009, she announced that the radioactive iodine had been successful with no signs of the cancer having spread.[citation needed]

In July 2010, Balding made a complaint to thePress Complaints Commissionover an article by writerA. A. GillinThe Sunday Timesthat she felt had mocked her sexuality and appearance[46]and for which the newspaper refused to apologise.[47]The PCC found in her favour, judging that Gill had "refer[red] to the complainant's sexuality in a demeaning and gratuitous way".[48]In 2014, she was named in the top 10 on the World Pride Power list.[49]

AfterLiam Treadwell'sGrand Nationalvictory on 4 April 2009, Balding interviewed him and made fun of his apparently bad teeth.[50]Balding later clarified on BBC'sHave I Got News For Youquiz that she believed Treadwell, who suffered frommicrodontiaandhypodontia,to have had his teeth "kicked out" by a horse, a common injury suffered by jockeys, apologising again for her error. However, Treadwell stated that he was pleased with her comment, as a dentist offered to fix his teeth at no cost. "It was the best thing Clare ever said", Treadwell said.[51]

In 2014, Balding publicly backedHacked Offand its campaign towards UK press self-regulation by "safeguarding the press from political interference while also giving vital protection to the vulnerable."[52][53][54]

Ancestors

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Balding's matrilineal great-great-grandparentsEdward Stanley, 17th Earl of DerbyandLady Alice Montagu,both descended fromHenry VII.The earl's lineage can also be traced back toSir Thomas Frankland.

She is also descended, viaJoseph C. Hoagland,fromSarah Rapelje,the first woman of European descent born in what is nowNew York,to Dutch-settler parents.[55]

Charitable activity

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Balding has been a presenter onSport Reliefsince its inception in 2002. She also participated in a celebrity edition ofThe Apprenticeto raise money for charity.[56]Sport Relief Does The Apprenticeis part of the BBC's annual charity initiative and aired on 12 and 14 March 2008. "The Girls' team", which also includedLouise Redknapp,Jacqueline Gold,Kirstie AllsoppandLisa Snowdon,won the contest, raising over £400,000 from ticket sales and sales on the night of the big event at their shop.

In 2010, Balding became a patron of theBritish Thyroid Foundation.[57]

In 2015, Balding became an ambassador forSouthampton FC's official charity, the Saints Foundation.[58]

She is also patron to a number of other charities includingRiding for the Disabled,British Paralympic Association,Diversity Role Models,[59]The Mintridge Foundation[60]and the Jane Tomlinson Appeal.[61]Plus she is Vice-Patron for Injured Jockeys Fund[62]andHelen Rollason Cancer Charity.

Rugby league

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After fronting the BBC coverage of the sport for several years, Balding was appointed as the 30th President of theRugby Football Leaguein July 2020 succeeding former footballerTony Adams.[63]The RFL Council appointed role undertakes a two-year term which Balding served from July 2020 to December 2022. She stated that during her tenure she wanted to see the women's game become a professional sport.[64]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Clare Balding".Desert Island Discs.12 January 2013. BBC Radio 4.Retrieved18 January2014.
  2. ^abcd"Clare Balding - Who Do You Think You Are? Aristocratic stock and a penniless polo player..."TheGenealogist.18 July 2017.
  3. ^"Rugby League".www.rugby-league.com.Retrieved1 February2023.
  4. ^Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th ed., vol. 2, ed. Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 2006
  5. ^Machell, Ben (24 September 2016)."Revealing the Unbridled Talents of Clare Balding".The Times.Retrieved18 September2022.
  6. ^Bennett, Clare (5 July 2017)."A Celebration of Clare Balding".Tatler.Retrieved19 February2022.
  7. ^"My Time At Cambridge"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 19 January 2012.
  8. ^"Welcome Back to Cambridge [Cambridge Union Bicentenary Booklet]".Cambridge: Cambridge Union Society. 2015. p. 63.Retrieved13 September2022– viaIssuu.
  9. ^Sale, Jonathan (1 July 2010)."Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Clare Balding, BBC sports presenter".The Independent.London.Archivedfrom the original on 6 July 2022.Retrieved13 September2022.
  10. ^Montgomery, Sue (4 September 2010)."Priscilla Hastings: Racing trainer who bridged the gender gap in her sport".The Independent.London.Retrieved6 November2012.
  11. ^"Racing: O'Sullevan and Wilson in rift".The Independent.23 September 1998.Retrieved21 April2014.
  12. ^"Lyke Wake Walk, Series 30, Ramblings - BBC Radio 4".BBC.Retrieved5 November2017.
  13. ^"The New Lyke Wake Club".www.lykewake.org.Retrieved5 November2017.
  14. ^"The Dales Way, Part One, Series 28, Ramblings - BBC Radio 4".BBC.Retrieved5 November2017.
  15. ^Penfold, P. (2014). Clare Balding's crowded hours. Dalesman Magazine – November 2014 edition.
  16. ^Mahoney, Elisabeth (20 September 2012)."A week in radio: Ramblings with Clare Balding".guardian.co.uk.London.Retrieved11 October2012.
  17. ^"Wimbledon 2015: BBC highlights show Wimbledon 2Day with Clare Balding slammed by critics".independent.co.uk.July 2015.
  18. ^"Wimbledon: Balding backed by BBC despite Inverdale calls, 5 July 2017".thetimes.co.uk.
  19. ^Britain by Bike – The CotswoldsBBC Four
  20. ^"Clare Balding – Meet the Team – London 2012 Paralympics – Channel 4".Channel 4 Paralympics.Retrieved24 April2015.
  21. ^"BBC News – Clare Balding to present Channel 4 racing coverage".bbc.co.uk.14 August 2012.Retrieved14 August2012.
  22. ^Scott-Elliot, Robin (25 October 2012)."Women in sport: Why unparalleled success of 2012 must not fade into history".independent.co.uk.London.Retrieved25 October2012.
  23. ^"Clare Balding's Secrets of a Suffragette - All 4".Archived fromthe originalon 17 November 2015.Retrieved26 October2015.
  24. ^"The Queen and her passion for horses".BBC News.24 May 2013.Retrieved5 November2017.
  25. ^"BBC - Clare Balding to leave Good Morning Sunday - Media Centre".www.bbc.co.uk.
  26. ^Ingle, Sean (12 March 2013)."Clare Balding shines as new Channel 4 anchor at Cheltenham Festival".Guardian UK.London.Retrieved13 March2013.
  27. ^"Wimbledon 2023: Clare Balding to lead BBC coverage of this year's Championships".BBC News.9 March 2023.
  28. ^"Clare Balding joins Viking with My Animals and Other Family".Book Trade Announcements.Booktrade.info. Archived fromthe originalon 14 February 2013.Retrieved28 May2012.
  29. ^Larman, Alexander (16 September 2012)."My Animals and Other Family by Clare Balding – review".guardian.co.uk.London.Retrieved11 October2012.
  30. ^Dougary, Ginny (1 October 2017)."How BBC star Clare Balding nicked my byline".The Observer.Retrieved6 October2017.
  31. ^Smith, Robert (2 October 2017)."Should PRs ever ask for copy approval? Debate rumbles over Clare Balding case".PR Week.Retrieved6 October2017.
  32. ^Mayhew, Freddie (2 October 2017)."Saga Magazine says it 'does not offer copy control' after row over Clare Balding cover feature".Press Gazette.Retrieved6 October2017.
  33. ^"No. 60534".The London Gazette(Supplement). 15 June 2013. p. 9.
  34. ^"Birthday Honours 2013: At a glance".BBC News.14 June 2013.Retrieved17 October2013.
  35. ^"Clare Balding: Special Award Recipient in 2013".www.bafta.org.28 April 2013.Retrieved5 November2017.
  36. ^Alison Flood (5 December 2012)."EL James comes out on top at National Book awards".The Guardian.London.Retrieved5 December2012.
  37. ^Frost, Vicky (7 December 2012)."Clare Balding honoured at Women in Film and Television awards".The Guardian.London.Retrieved3 February2013.
  38. ^"BBC Radio 4 – Woman's Hour – The Power List 2013".BBC.Archived fromthe originalon 19 March 2014.Retrieved24 April2015.
  39. ^"2012 British Sports Journalism Awards".Sports Journalists' Association.Retrieved1 February2023.
  40. ^"Honoray Fellows"(PDF).Newnham College - University of Cambridge.Retrieved29 September2022.
  41. ^"No. 63714".The London Gazette(Supplement). 1 June 2022. p. B9.
  42. ^France, Louise (10 December 2006)."One year of being Mr and Mr".The Observer.London.Retrieved19 November2011.
  43. ^"The Tatler List".Tatler.Archived fromthe originalon 5 February 2016.
  44. ^"Clare Balding marries Alice Arnold – hellomagazine.com".hellomagazine.com.4 April 2015.Retrieved24 April2015.
  45. ^"Clare Balding OBE TV presenter".The Chiswick Calendar.23 March 2021.Retrieved10 April2023.
  46. ^"Clare Balding makes Sunday Times sex jibe complaint".BBC News.30 July 2010.Retrieved30 July2010.
  47. ^Caroline DaviesClare Balding complains to press watchdog over 'dyke' jibe,The Guardian,30 July 2010
  48. ^Clare Balding complaint over sexuality is upheldBBC News, 17 September 2010; Retrieved 17 September 2010
  49. ^"World Pride Power List 2014".The Guardian.Archived fromthe originalon 8 February 2015.
  50. ^"Jockey on Balding teeth joke".BBC News.6 April 2009.Retrieved7 May2010.
  51. ^White, Jim (23 April 2009)."Clare Balding's jibe at Liam Treadwell's teeth pays off".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved3 December2019.
  52. ^Szalai, Georg (18 March 2014)."Benedict Cumberbatch, Alfonso Cuaron, Maggie Smith Back U.K. Press Regulation".The Hollywood Reporter.
  53. ^Burrell, Ian (18 March 2014)."Campaign group Hacked Off urge newspaper industry to back the Royal Charter on press freedom".The Independent.London.
  54. ^[1]Archived19 March 2014 at theWayback Machine
  55. ^"Clare Balding".Who Do You Think You Are?.Series 14. Episode 3. 20 July 2017.BBC Television.Retrieved20 July2017.
  56. ^"Clare Balding to appear in Sport Relief Does The Apprentice for charity",Charities Aid Foundation,28 February 2008; Retrieved 29 February 2008
  57. ^PatronsArchived5 November 2012 at theWayback MachineBritish Thyroid Foundation
  58. ^Southampton FC (2 October 2015)."Clare Balding visits Saints Foundation".Archivedfrom the original on 21 December 2021.Retrieved5 November2017– via YouTube.
  59. ^"Diversity Role Models".www.diversityrolemodels.org.Retrieved1 February2023.
  60. ^"The Mintridge Foundation".The Mintridge Foundation.Retrieved1 February2023.
  61. ^"Jane Tomlinson Appeal | Improving lives".Jane Tomlinson Appeal.Retrieved1 February2023.
  62. ^"Home - Injured Jockeys Fund".injuredjockeys.co.uk.2 June 2020.Retrieved1 February2023.
  63. ^"New RFL president Clare Balding wants women's game to become professional".The Guardian.16 July 2020.Retrieved17 October2020.
  64. ^Tomas, Fiona (16 July 2020)."New RFL president Clare Balding vows to 'do something special' for women's rugby league".The Telegraph.Retrieved17 October2020.
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Awards
Preceded by RTS Television Sport Awards
Best Sports Presenter
2003 		Succeeded by
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