Clare said she really didn’t mean any harm

Clare Balding – who is hosting coverage of Wimbledon today (Saturday, July 5) – once made a “misjudged” comment to a jockey for which she was criticised.

The jockey in question later died – meaning discussing the incident is “very difficult” for the star, as she revealed during an interview back in April.

Clare came under fire in 2009 (Credit: ITV)

Clare Balding on ‘misjudged’ comment about jockey

Back in April 2024, Clare did an interview with The Telegraph. During the interview, Clare reminisced on a “misjudged” comment she made to the jockey, Liam Treadwell. Treadwell had just won at the Grand National when Clare made fun of his teeth.

She asked the Irishman whether he was going to use his prize money on having his teeth repaired.

“He [Liam] hasn’t got the best teeth in the world, but you can go and get them done now if you like,” she told Liam at the time.

The BBC received 2,000 complaints about Clare’s comment. Clare later explained that she thought he’d had his teeth kicked out by a horse – hence why she bought them up.

Treadwell cheerfully forgave Clare – and even thanked her when a doctor offered to fix his teeth for free (an offer he took up).

Liam died in 2020 (Credit: YouTube)

Clare Balding on Liam Treadwell

“I did an awful thing and I genuinely didn’t mean any harm. I was probably just trying to be funny and I misjudged it completely,” Clare told the Telegraph.

Sadly, Treadwell died in 2020 following an accidental drug overdose. He was just 34 years old.

At the mention of Treadwell’s death, Clare is said to have grown emotional during the interview.

“You know, obviously, what’s happened since makes it very difficult to talk about. Liam’s mum and I are in touch fairly regularly. Sorry, I just can’t believe he’s not here,” she said.

‘Toothgate’

Clare also addressed her comments in a 2013 interview. Asked about her biggest regret, she cited the comment she made to Liam.

“Toothgate,” she called it.

“I made a massive broadcasting error four years ago when I made a nasty remark about a jockey’s teeth. It was a terrible thing to do,” she then said.

Clare then added: “It coincided with my illness [Clare had thyroid cancer] and I believed that was it for me – I would never work again. It was inexcusable and it taught me a big lesson.”

Clare and Alice tied the knot in 2006 (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Clare on her grandmother’s ‘disgusting’ comment

In 2013, Clare revealed how her relationship with her grandmother grew strained after she made a comment about her sexuality.

Speaking on Desert Island Discs, Clare explained she decided to tell her gran about her sexuality after being pictured at a film premiere with her now wife, Alice Arnold.

“I said: ‘Grandma I need to talk to you.’ And she said: ‘Yes I should think you do’,” she said.

Clare then continued: “I said: ‘Have you seen the paper?’ and she said: ‘Yes and I think it’s disgusting.’”

“I said: ‘What do you mean? The invasion of my privacy or my lifestyle choice?’ and she said: ‘Both’,” she then said.

“I didn’t talk to her for about six months after that which was pretty difficult.”