BBC sports legend Clare Balding and her wife Alice Arnold are starting a completely new chapter away from the chaos of London life after spending two decades in the capital.
The beloved Wimbledon presenter, 55, and broadcaster Alice, 63, have reportedly decided to leave behind their busy life in Chiswick and move to the leafy Surrey town of Esher — around 20 miles away from their £3 million London home. The couple, who first met while both working at the BBC back in 1999 before marrying in 2015, are said to have quietly shifted their priorities in recent years.
A family friend explained the emotional decision by saying: “London has been wonderful for them. But priorities shift. You start wanting gardens instead of traffic, birdsong instead of sirens.”
Clare herself previously admitted she never imagined she would survive living in London for so long because she once found the city “suffocating.” Yet despite growing up in the countryside as the daughter of legendary horse trainer Ian Balding, she stayed in the capital for an impressive 20 years before finally deciding it was time to slow things down.
Speaking last year about the move, Clare explained that she and Alice wanted “a bit more space and protection from the road so it’s a good environment for a dog.”
Although the Celebrity Gogglebox star is famously private about her personal life, Clare recently opened up about the secret behind her long-lasting marriage. She sweetly revealed: “Alice and I just have the most lovely time together, we have so much fun and we enjoy doing the same things to relax.”
She added: “She totally understands the broadcast environment and she’s very honest with me and will say if she thinks I haven’t done something well or could do it better, so I think there’s that level of trust and honesty.”
Clare also shared one hilarious relationship rule that fans were not expecting. Despite being approached for Strictly Come Dancing, she revealed Alice strongly opposed the idea because of her “hopeless” dancing skills.
Laughing during an interview, Clare recalled Alice’s blunt reaction: “You can say yes to that if you like, but I won’t be here when you come back.”
