Broadcaster Clare Balding has opened up about finding 'real, deep love' with her wife Alice Arnold and making significant lifestyle changes in her 50s. Speaking exclusively to HELLO! ahead of the release of her debut novel, Pastures New, the 54-year-old said her marriage to fellow broadcaster Alice, which will celebrate 20 years next year, has been a major inspiration.
'One of the things I wanted to write about in my novel was about falling in love because I thought, I know that,' Clare said. 'I know what real, deep love is and meeting someone I want to grow old with. Lucky, lucky me.' The couple enjoy spending time together playing golf, though Clare admits she is not as skilled as Alice, who is a seven-handicap golfer. They also share a passion for cruising, with trips planned from New York to Quebec and to Japan.
Clare also spoke about her weight loss journey, which began when she decided to try a low-carb diet after hearing about it from a friend and the late Michael Mosley. 'I got into my 50s and thought, I'm just going to be fat and happy, but then I thought, I'll give it one more go,' she said. She now avoids bread and pasta, eats minimal sugar, and opts for gin and tonic instead of wine. The result has been a new svelte figure that allows her to wear clothes she couldn't before, such as trousers with a belt and a tucked-in shirt.
Clare's fitness routine includes brisk five- or six-mile walks, which also played a key role in her creative process for writing Pastures New. 'When I was working on the book, walking was very much part of my creative process,' she said. The novel was inspired by her love of nature and time spent with a Monmouthshire sheep farmer, highlighting the struggles faced by farmers in the UK. 'If it's impossible to make a living from farming, we're in a lot of bother, aren't we?' she remarked.
Clare's background in horse racing, thanks to her father Ian Balding and brother Andrew, also informed the book. She recalled early memories of watching horses exercise on the Hampshire Downs. Despite her extensive experience covering royal events, she admitted to an embarrassing moment during the 2023 coronation, though she did not elaborate.
