Clare Balding delayed coming out as gay because of her career.
Clare Balding's career fears
The 52-year-old presenter revealed her sexuality in 2022 and went on to marry wife Alice Arnold in 2015 but Clare admitted she waited so long to come out because she had fears for how it would affect her successful career.
She told Woman and Home magazine: "Being gay is who I am and it’s the way I’ve lived.
"The only reason it took me a while to come out publicly was not only because of the fear of the reaction, but that it might have a negative effect on my work. As it happens, that wasn’t the outcome, but at the time I didn’t know. It’s a lot easier now.
"Alice says to me, if you think that your relationship or reality should be kept a secret, then you are perpetuating a state of shame."
Clare has enjoyed huge professional success and it was recently revealed that she will be replacing Sue Barker as the BBC’s lead Wimbledon host, starting from this summer.
She previously said in a statement: "It's a huge honour to be given this responsibility but I am very aware that no one person can fill Sue's shoes.
"This will always be a team effort and we're lucky that the BBC line-up includes former professionals with huge insight as well as wonderful reporters and commentators.
"It's my job to bring out the best in them and to help make our viewers feel they have a front-row seat on the greatest sporting stage."
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