Clare Balding has admitted she defied her wife Alice Arnold's warning not to dance at a Neil Diamond event, confessing she could not resist when the iconic song 'Sweet Caroline' played.
Balding Recounts Neil Diamond Event
The 55-year-old BBC presenter shared the anecdote on the podcast 'Inheritance Tracks', where she discussed the first song that played for her. The track was 'Sweet Caroline' by Neil Diamond, a song famously adopted by England football fans during major tournaments, though this year 'Wonderwall' by Oasis has become a popular alternative.
Balding explained she had taken her mother, a devoted Neil Diamond fan, to an audience with the singer. 'My mum is a huge Neil Diamond fan so we listened to his music an awful lot,' she said. 'I once got offered tickets to an audience with and it was Neil Diamond.'
Wife's Warning Ignored
Balding recalled the warning from her wife, Alice Arnold, a former Radio 4 presenter: 'The one thing she said to me was “Do not get caught dancing to anything because you’ll just look stupid”. And of course, when Sweet Caroline came on, I couldn’t help myself.'
This is not the first time Balding has spoken about her marriage. Earlier this year, she discussed grieving the loss of their Tibetan terrier Archie, who died in 2020, and the couple's decision to delay getting a new dog until the right time.
Moving Home and Future Plans
Balding and Arnold have also made a major life decision to move from Chiswick, London, to Esher in Surrey. Speaking on the 'Alright, Pet?' podcast in 2024, Balding explained why they are waiting to adopt a new dog: '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.'
She added that they are undertaking a 'big sort of house building project' to have more space and be away from roads, allowing doors to be open constantly. Balding is set to appear on BBC One's coverage of the tournament on July 11, 2026.
