Clare Balding admits she “kept bursting into tears” following a devastating family loss. The BBC Sport presenter reveals she eagerly anticipated the day she could welcome a dog into her life after meeting wife Alice.
The couple eventually brought Tibetan terrier Archie into their household. Yet in 2020, Clare says they faced the agonising choice to have Archie put to sleep.
Clare has previously described it as the “best decision” for their beloved pet but acknowledges she “thinks about him every day”, reports Wales Online. Following his death, Clare felt compelled to continue walking his cherished route as a way to honour Archie’s 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 explains that Archie’s death created a “dog-shaped hole” in her existence. Though she and Alice are currently considering abandoning London for countryside living, which could eventually allow them to bring another dog into their family.
Clare, 54, added: “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.”
In Clare’s publication Isle of Dogs, Alice revealed that allowing her wife to have a dog was among the “original commitments” she made during their early relationship, stating she would “never go back” on that pledge. The former Radio 4 announcer confirms they will eventually welcome another dog and Clare will “no longer have to go on long walks without a lead in her hand”.
Clare gained prominence on BBC National Radio during the 1990s, with stints across Radio One, Radio Two and Radio 4 as well as 5Live. Throughout her career, she has broadcast from major sporting occasions including the Olympic Games and Wimbledon.
Clare has also hosted Channel 4 Racing, featuring coverage of Royal Ascot, and even launched her own programme, The Clare Balding Show on BT Sport and BBC Two.
She currently hosts Ramblings, a programme about the great outdoors, on Radio 4. Clare will feature on Celebrity Traitors when it broadcasts in October.