Clare Balding, the well-known television presenter, has revealed the key to her enduring marriage with wife Alice Arnold, providing a rare and intimate look into their life together.
The couple, who first met in 1999 while both working at the BBC, formed a strong friendship that blossomed into love. They entered a civil partnership in 2006 and officially married in 2015.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Mail, Clare shared that the foundation of their successful marriage is built on trust, honesty, and laughter. Despite their demanding careers, Clare, 55, and Alice, 64, have found a way to make their relationship thrive. Clare explained: “Alice and I just have the most lovely time together. We have so much fun, and we enjoy doing the same things to relax. But we also have the same work ethic. Alice works for Mellow Magic; she’s a radio person through and through. She totally understands the broadcast environment and she’s very honest with me. She’ll say if she thinks I haven’t done something well or could do it better, so there’s that level of trust and honesty.”
Clare added that they laugh a lot together and really value the time they spend with each other, noting, “I want to do good work, I want to do quality work, but I really value my time with Alice, so it has to be pretty special to take me away from that.”
The couple’s communication also plays a significant role in their marriage. Clare said that when she travels for work, such as during the Winter Olympics, they make a point to stay in touch. “If I am away doing something like the Winter Olympics, we talk twice or three times a day, and I will message all the time,” she explained.
Clare also spoke candidly about her past relationships, revealing that it took time for her to realize she was more comfortable with women than men. She recounted a past relationship with a man, saying, “He asked me to marry him, and he was going off to the Army. 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. But I knew I didn’t want to.”
Her relationship with Alice, Clare said, is by far the most significant and fulfilling she has ever had. “When I first fell in love with a woman, it was completely different. Alice is by far and away the longest, most serious relationship of my life,” Clare said.
In addition to sharing her personal life, Clare has been actively promoting BT’s “Don’t Put Off The Switch” campaign ahead of the UK’s digital landline switchover. Clare, who is passionate about protecting vulnerable customers, has been encouraging people to transition to Digital Voice before the analogue landline network is retired in January 2027. She emphasized the importance of acting soon to avoid a rush as the deadline approaches.
“Digital Voice is an advancement, and it’s much better,” Clare said. “I just don’t want people to delay it, and then suddenly, the analogue system is switched off in January, and they haven’t done anything.”
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/
