BBC Sports presenter Clare Balding and her wife, broadcaster Alice Arnold, have left London after 20 years to start a new life in the Surrey countryside. The couple, who met in 1999 while working at the BBC and married in 2015, have moved from their £3 million home in Chiswick to a property in leafy Esher, about 20 miles away.
A family acquaintance told the Mail that the couple's 'priorities had shifted' in recent years, adding: 'London has been wonderful for them. But priorities shift. You start wanting gardens instead of traffic, birdsong instead of sirens.' Balding, 55, and Arnold, 63, are both busy broadcasting throughout the year, with Balding working for BBC Sport and Arnold hosting on Mellow Magic.
Balding, who grew up in the countryside, previously told The Times that the move was motivated by a desire for 'a bit more space and protection from the road so it's a good environment for a dog'. Despite initially finding London 'suffocating', she remained in the capital for two decades before making the change.
In a rare comment about their relationship, Balding revealed the secret to their long-lasting marriage: '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 also we have the same work ethic... She totally understands the broadcast environment and she's very honest with me.'
Balding also disclosed that she turned down an appearance on Strictly Come Dancing due to Arnold's strong objections. 'When the request came through she said: 'You can say yes to that if you like, but I won't be here when you come back,'' Balding told Alison Hammond on the Smart TV podcast, joking that her wife considers her dancing 'hopeless'.
