I love Claire Balding but

[SoleSource]

Her hair is soooo 1980's and needs updating.

AIBU?

AlexReids it was the sort of banter that goes on in the jockeys' weighing room all the time (Clare herself is an ex-amateur jockey) and the jockey in question got £30k's worth of free dental treatment out of the media furore and was quoted as saying "it's the best thing Clare ever said" so "rude twat" and "utter shit" are over-stating it a little.

So true! I mean who gives a shite about great presenting skills, passion for little-known sports, the ability to explain often-complex sporty stuff in an engaging way?

It's all about her hair. They should have Fearne Cotton or Tess Daly instead. We could just enjoy their lovely locks instead! Game on!

John Inverdale was wearing the most shocking shirt/tie combination the other day - I don't know how wardrobe didn't bring him down and tear it off him by force.

Claire is great, but that does not mean that it is a sin to have an opinion about her hairstyle - she has a very pronounced style which is a) dated in a bad way b) retro in a good way c) fine I guess. Pick one.

UABU. And I think she looks lovely tonight.

i am quite sick of hearing about her to be honest

am glad olympics is ending myself

I don't know, regardless of his free dental work after, would he have been happy enough to stay as he was if she hadn't have passed comment in such a public way? After all according to this thread looks aren't everything. It was rude, banter or not.
If one of my children made such a personal comment towards somebody, I'd withhold treats for a week (maybe Claire's mum gave out to her?) .
My teeth aren't exactly Vogue material, I know that, I'd be gutted if somebody passed comment.

That said, I have enjoyed her presenting immensely and she has been nothing but lovely to the Olympians.

Jockey's get knocked about day in and day out, most of them have been hit/kicked in the head/face on many an occasion. Believe me, Liam Treadwell wouldn't have given a stuff about the comments, the other lads would have said far worse to him!

YABU, her hair style suits her perfectly. She's been fantastic during the Olympics

Oh missed the web chat will catch up on that.

I love Claire Balding because she clearly doesn't give a fuck about what women in the media are supposed to look like.

Oh, and because she's such am enthusiastic commentator..

I read an interview with her once where she said 'facts are my friends' and that if she was ever heard waffling on about electric atmospheres or outpourings of cobblers she should be shot. She knows her stuff and presents it in an excellent way, imho.

So I'm another one who couldn't care less what her hair is doing.

It would be very, very depressing if ALL female TV presenters looked like glossy dollies. Rather than just 90% of them.

95% more like.

I just remember Nick Skelton giving Claire a massive hug after he'd won the team gold, she's a presenter who's genuinely respected within the sporting world.

I love The Balding!! Best presenter of the Olympics. She is utterly fab.

I love her! I met her at Crufts last year and she is the loveliest person. She happily chatted to my sons about the dogs.

I like her, not really noticed her hair because she is an interesting presenter.

Now i think about it - she was wearing quite a glam top the other day; & i was surprised because it's not her usual style; i did think it suited her to be honest.

Her hairstyle is classic rather than current but she's lucky to have thick, quite straight, shiny dark blonde hair - that kind of hair looks good whatever style it's in.

Hurrah! It's just been announced that Clare has been appointed lead presenter for Channel 4 Racing from 1st January.

Well done Clare!

Will she accuse every horse of being doped too or is it only the Chinese she does that too without apologising??

And she's done CBeebies bedtime stories with total seriousness and respect for the story and the young audience, rather than just reading it out in a boring monotone without any feeling for the characters. She did all the voices and everything unlike some of the slebs who phone it in .

It's important.

Thank you for linking her webchat Frankel :)

Seriously. Her hair?

Oh Frankel that's brilliant news! Hurrah indeed!

PS. I'm going to see your namesake in the flesh at York next Wednesday...excited!

Fireandashes me too! I've been at each of his 3 runs this year, plus 2 last year and 1 the year before [groupie]