OVER the years, Clare Balding has become one of Britain's most-loved TV presenters.
She is best known for her coverage of high profile events like the Crufts and Wimbledon.
Who is Clare Balding and how did she get famous?
Award-winning broadcaster, journalist and author Clare Balding was born on January 29, 1971.
She started her career in horse racing, as her family have long been involved with the sport.
From 1988 until 1993, Clare was a leading amateur flat jockey and even won an award for her memoir covering her time growing up in a racing yard.
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After studying English at Cambridge University, Clare started working for the BBC as a trainee back in 1994.
There she worked on 5 Live, Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 4.
She later made her television debut in June 1995 - when she introduced highlights of Royal Ascot.
What TV shows has Clare Balding been in?
Clare presents for BBC Sport, Channel 4 and BT Sport.
The OBE-awarded broadcaster also worked on Good Morning Sunday, which airs on BBC Radio 2.
In 2018, Clare hosted live coverage of the Royal Wedding on BBC One and fronted the BBC's European Championships.
This followed a busy start to 2018 after she presented the Winter Olympics, Winter Paralympics, and the Commonwealth Games.
Clare's other noteworthy sport presenting roles include reporting from six Olympic Games, Channel 4 Racing, Wimbledon, the Boat Race, the Grand National and BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
She also covered the King's Coronation for the BBC.
Since 2004, Clare has hosted the much-loved dog show Crufts.
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In a 2023 interview, the presenter revealed her love of dogs started when she was very young.
She told the Wine Times podcast: “I did think I was a dog [when I was a child] because I was left with the dogs quite a lot.
“I may have genuinely believed that Candy, our boxer, was my mother.
It’s a huge honour to be given this responsibility but I am very aware that no one person can fill Sue Barker's shoes.
Clare Balding on landing the Wimbledon commentator job
“I used to write letters that were ostensibly to my parents but really were for my dogs.”
In 2023, Clare landed the plum job of being the Wimbledon commentator for the Beeb, taking over from Sue Barker.
After getting the job, she said at the time: “It’s a huge honour to be given this responsibility but I am very aware that no one person can fill Sue’s shoes.
“This will always be a team effort and we’re lucky that the BBC line-up includes former professionals with huge insight as well as wonderful reporters and commentators.
“It’s my job to bring out the best in them and to help make our viewers feel they have a front row seat on the greatest sporting stage."
What is Clare Balding's net worth?
During her life as TV presenter, Clare has built up an impressive fortune.
She has an estimated net worth of around £1M
This is largely boosted by her BBC salary, which is between £205,000 and £209,999
Clare also owns a home in London's posh Cheswick.
Who is Clare Balding's wife?
Clare married fellow broadcaster and journalist Alice Arnold in 2015.
Alice was a newsreader and continuity announcer on BBC Radio 4 for over 20 years.
The couple had a civil partnership ceremony in 2006, but vowed to return and get married again when gay marriage became legal in the United Kingdom.
In 2015 the were married in a private ceremony.
Talking about her marriage to wife Alice on The Jonathan Ross Show, Clare said: "It's about equality.
"It's just about knowing that you can and knowing that you can say, 'I'm married' and nobody's going to think that's married in inverted commas, no that, actually married. I think it's great."
Revealing more about their relationship to The Mirror, the presenter said: "We are very easy together. We don't row. I don't know how we achieve that but I don't think there is a secret. You're on this wonderful adventure together."
The pair don't have any children together.
