Clare Balding’s marriage to newsreader and why she might not wear wedding ring at Olympics
Clare Balding and Alice Arnold have been married since 2015, but the former may not wear her wedding ring while fronting the Paris Olympics.
Clare Balding may be without her wedding band at the upcoming Paris Olympics, despite being happily married to Alice Arnold since 2015. The pair, who first crossed paths in 1999 while both were BBC employees, quickly struck up a friendship which later blossomed into romance.
They solidified their union with a civil partnership in 2006 and tied the knot in 2015, following the legalisation of same-sex marriage in the UK two years prior. Curiosity arose among viewers when Balding was noted for not wearing her wedding ring during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Fans expressed concern over the state of her marriage, but Arnold was swift to dispel worries, explaining that Balding had been advised against bringing valuables to Brazil due to the risk of loss. Arnold took to social media to write: "I'm amazed how many have noticed @clarebalding is not wearing her wedding ring..don't worry..it's safely at home with me..."
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She further explained that they deemed it "unwise" to sport such "irreplaceable" items at such a global event. Balding has become a staple in sports broadcasting, having covered numerous Olympic and Paralympic Games, Wimbledon, and even the Sports Personality of the Year Awards.
Her journey began as a trainee journalist with the BBC in 1994, and she has since become a prominent figure as a presenter. Balding, known for her diverse presenting portfolio, has hosted programmes such as Countryfile and significant Royal events including Trooping the Colour and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Royal Wedding in May 2018.
In recognition of her contributions to broadcasting and journalism, she was awarded an OBE in the 2013 Birthday Honours and also bagged a BAFTA for the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics. Her spouse, Arnold, embarked on her career with the BBC Radio Drama Company in 1998 and later joined Radio 4's presentation team in 1994.
She transitioned into newsreading a decade later, delivering the afternoon and evening news on the station, and made her debut as a news presenter on BBC Two's Broken News in 2005. In addition to her radio work, Arnold has contributed to the BBC in a training role and penned articles for several newspapers. The Paris Olympics 2024 is set to commence on Friday, July 26, and will continue until Sunday, August 11.
