Clare Balding has admitted she is keeping a secret from her wife, Alice Arnold, about her plan to get not one but two poodles, five years after the death of their beloved Tibetan terrier Archie. The BBC presenter, who will front Wimbledon coverage this week, shared her desire in an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine last year, saying she wants two poodles because they are super intelligent, but has not yet told Alice.
Heartbreak After Losing Archie
Balding and Arnold, who married in 2015, were devastated when their Tibetan terrier Archie died in 2020. Balding described a lingering dog-shaped hole in their lives. She told the magazine: "Our Tibetan terrier, Archie, died five years ago and there's still a dog-shaped hole in our lives. When we get another, the first job of the day will be a walk in the gardens at Chiswick House. Dogs bring structure to your day. I'd like a poodle because they are super intelligent. Actually, I'd like two – but I haven't told Alice yet."
Expert Advice on Pet Bereavement
During an episode of Lost Dog, Found Dog, Balding consulted a pet bereavement specialist who advised against rushing into getting a new pet or trying to replace the lost one. The specialist said: "It's different for everyone, but the most important thing is what is best for the animal you do get. If you're in a unit that's made up of more than one person, you involve everybody in that decision because it's so, so important. And what we often hear is that people try and replace [the dog] with the same breed, the same name. Please don't, because every dog is unique and has its own character."
Work Commitments Delayed New Dog
Balding also explained that her demanding schedule and a house renovation project forced her to postpone getting another dog, despite desperately missing having a four-legged friend. On the Alright Pet? podcast in 2024, she said: "Here's the thing about responsible dog ownership, I'm going to be away all this summer doing the Olympics and Paralympics, this is not the time to bring a dog into my life, our life. And, we are also doing a big sort of house building project, so that we can move somewhere where we've got a bit more space, we're not close to a road and we can have doors open all the time. It's killing me not to have a dog right now, but I know it's the right thing to wait."
Return to Wimbledon Coverage
Balding is back on the BBC this week to present live coverage of Wimbledon 2026, alongside Isa Guha. The punditry team includes John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Pat Cash, Tracy Austin, Tim Henman, Annabel Croft, and Andre Agassi, with new additions Jamie Murray, Eugenie Bouchard, Kyle Edmund, and Laura Robson.
