Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Clare Balding is irritating AIBU?

235 replies

Vera87 · 08/02/2026 21:01

Clare Balding can we have one sporting event without this woman. Wimbledon we ended up with her and now the bloody Winter Olympics have her. Next thing is she will be presenting Match of the Day. She pretends she knows literally everything annoyingly about tennis and now about skiing. Bore off. BBC can’t get anymore talent.
This woman came from horse racing commentating now she’s bloody everywhere not just sports. Highly irritating

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Flannelfeet · 08/02/2026 21:35

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:34

😂😂😂😂😂

Show quote history

Twins eh!! 😆 🤣 😂

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:35

And her hair does often go like that

no wonder the poster believed it

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:34

Flannelfeet · 08/02/2026 21:34

Claire balding in 15 years 😆 🤣 😂

😂😂😂😂😂

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:34

Vera87 · 08/02/2026 21:32

@Applecharlotte2 I though Nick Kyrgios was a bloody excellent commentator surprisingly

Yes he was ok but I don’t think they should have had him on given his behaviour

Flannelfeet · 08/02/2026 21:34

Claire balding in 15 years 😆 🤣 😂

Clare Balding is irritating AIBU?
Flannelfeet · 08/02/2026 21:33

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:32

She is such a goodie goodie 😂😂

you will probably like it - most people do - it’s good low energy tv

Show quote history

I do like a bit of chill out telly. Is it on Netflix or cooncil TV?

Original poster
Vera87 · 08/02/2026 21:32

@Applecharlotte2 I though Nick Kyrgios was a bloody excellent commentator surprisingly

OP posts:
Whatwouldnanado · 08/02/2026 21:32

She’s great. Intelligent, unassuming, passionate, dedicated to research and bringing out the best of whoever she’s interviewing. More please. (Love her telly programme about the Thames and Ramblings in R4.)

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:32

Flannelfeet · 08/02/2026 21:31

I will look it up tomorrow. Im looking for something else to watch so its good timing. Cheers 👍👍

Show quote history

She is such a goodie goodie 😂😂

you will probably like it - most people do - it’s good low energy tv

Flannelfeet · 08/02/2026 21:31

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:28

I prefer the non celeb one

Show quote history

I will look it up tomorrow. Im looking for something else to watch so its good timing. Cheers 👍👍

DuchessofStaffordshire · 08/02/2026 21:31

BishyBarnyBee · 08/02/2026 21:03

She's a skilled and intelligent commentator who does her research. Great to see a middle aged, non glamorous woman with a prominent role in television. YABU

I completely agree. Unlike Alex Scott a the Tokyo Olympics who came over as completely uniformed and clueless about the sports that she was supposed to be commentating on.

JoyOfSpecs · 08/02/2026 21:31

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:27

Omg she has books 😱

see what I mean..she’s everywhere doing everything - go away!!

Edited
Show quote history

I don't watch sport on TV so read her books without being overloaded with her, but honestly, they're good. About her racing days and her animals.

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:30

Vera87 · 08/02/2026 21:29

@Applecharlotte2im a huge fan of tennis and love to go to Wimbledon. Annabel Croft is a supreme commentator and her skill of not only analysing a game but being able to convey it to viewers easily is excellent. She should have been the successor. And why the BBC insists on keeping Andrew Castle is beyond me he’s awful.

Oh yes he’s so
cheesey

I wonder if it was when Annabel’s husband died that year - I’m kind of glad it’s not her as then we wouldn’t get her commentary on matches

yea she is so good at conveying it and much more impartial than that idiot castle - get rid

ChimpOnMyShoulder · 08/02/2026 21:30

I love her.

Original poster
Vera87 · 08/02/2026 21:29

@Applecharlotte2im a huge fan of tennis and love to go to Wimbledon. Annabel Croft is a supreme commentator and her skill of not only analysing a game but being able to convey it to viewers easily is excellent. She should have been the successor. And why the BBC insists on keeping Andrew Castle is beyond me he’s awful.

OP posts:
Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:29

I’m astounded she’s muscling in on authors now - Celebs really need to stop doing that

JaniceBattersby · 08/02/2026 21:28

Absolutely love the bones of the woman. Could listen to her all day long.

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:28

Flannelfeet · 08/02/2026 21:27

I seriously need to watch that prog. My mother in law and my 10 year old daughter keep going on about it and saying its brilliant.

Show quote history

I prefer the non celeb one

swingingbytheseat · 08/02/2026 21:27

I agree she’s offensively boring, like a female Ben Fogle.

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:27

JoyOfSpecs · 08/02/2026 21:26

I like her. Love her books.

Omg she has books 😱

see what I mean..she’s everywhere doing everything - go away!!

Flannelfeet · 08/02/2026 21:27

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:25

She was real goodie goodie in traitors

Show quote history

I seriously need to watch that prog. My mother in law and my 10 year old daughter keep going on about it and saying its brilliant.

Applecharlotte2 · 08/02/2026 21:26

Vera87 · 08/02/2026 21:20

I love Wimbledon and Sue barker was an ex pro and knew her stuff as does Annabel Croft who should have replaced her. I don’t dislike Balding I just find her everywhere and surely the BBC can find other ex pros of that sport

I can’t believe how good anabel croft is at analysis - I love it when she is on commentary as you really learn something

JoyOfSpecs · 08/02/2026 21:26

I like her. Love her books.

Original poster
Vera87 · 08/02/2026 21:26

Guarantee if Top Gear makes a comeback Clare Balding will be part of the presenting team.
I still say the Beeb are planning her on match of the day.

OP posts:
Braindraining · 08/02/2026 21:26

BishyBarnyBee · 08/02/2026 21:03

She's a skilled and intelligent commentator who does her research. Great to see a middle aged, non glamorous woman with a prominent role in television. YABU

This ^