Clare Balding has revealed she is "waiting for the right time" to expand her family with her wife Alice Arnold. The BBC Wimbledon presenter, 55, met Alice in 1999, entered a civil partnership in 2006, and married in April 2015.
Adopting a dog
In an interview with Country and Townhouse, Balding discussed her BBC Radio 4 programme Rambling, which she has presented for 27 years. The keen hiker is looking to adopt a dog to fit into their family unit but says "right now is not the time".
She told the publication: "My own feeling is any decision you make should be for your dog, not for you. At the moment we’re waiting to get a dog, because right now is not the time and that’s almost the most selfless thing I’ve ever done."
Memories of Archie
Balding added: "I’m desperate to have a dog again, and I just can’t right now. But in time we will again; we had Archie for fifteen years. I think that feeling of their joy gives you added joy, and I really love that connection that we have with our dogs."
She gushed: "Status means nothing. Everyone is equal in the eyes of their dog. And your dog loves you, whatever."
No urge to become a mum
Clare and Alice do not have any children together, but she is an aunt to two nephews and a niece. Speaking about parenting, Balding admitted to the Radio Times that she "never had that urge" to become a mum, explaining: "I have never wanted children. It’s my choice, but of course it’s not something that’s going to happen by accident. Yes, it could happen if I wished it to. I have two nephews, a niece and eight godchildren, and I love that. But I don’t want kids. I just never had that urge."
She added: "One of the many benefits of being gay is that people don’t assume you want children, so they don’t ask you. My brother Andrew’s relationship with his wife Anna Lisa is almost as long-standing as mine with Alice, and all they were ever asked is ‘When are you getting married?’ and ‘When are you having children?’. We never got that from anybody."
