Clare Balding

I've previously had really bad teeth , and I know how self concious it makes you feel. I felt so bad for Liam when CB made her remark that I actually cried...out of fury. Poor guy, how to totally ruin someone's finest hour.

I enjoyed the race, but I thought it wasn't a particularly good presentation of it by the BBC. Much prefer the Channel 4 racing team.
 
It was soooo rude! My friends and I were watching it, and we even said to each other that he had bad teeth.....anyone can see that.

When she said 'smile' we were like 'my god, thats probably one of his major hang ups and she goes and says that on national telly!'

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It really ruined the moment, he was really ashamed and turned away very serious, I think it was totally insensitive, and she must remember that ribbing the lads when the cameras are off is one thing, but that was plain mean.
 
Totally agree scotsmare how would she like it if on national tv some one asked her why she is a lesbian, I saw it on the tv and was quite astounded you could tell he was quite embarassed about it, I actually thought at first he had took a pallet out for the race like jockeys do which showed missing teeth, but in fact not he just has awful teeth, so what. Also another thing about Claire Balding how would she like it if someone also commented on the fact she has put all that weight back on she lost. (clearly she has, the double chin has returned!!!) But a hurtful thing to say whatever, I certainly didnt see the funny side of it.
 
Yes how rude on national TV, I'm sure it was a moment of madness and no doubt regreting it now, very strange thing to say.
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Just been reminded that she started talking about Timmy Murphy's prison sentence after his win last year, hardly what he wanted to be reminded of at the time. So this is not a one off. I think it's about time the BBC handed over the rights to Aintree to C4. They seem more interested in pleasing joe public than racing.
 
i thought it was disgusting! the poor lad, u could see that he was v.insecure about them before she even spoke to him by the way he kept hiding his mouth with his hands, and then for her to ask him to smile again but with his teeth, how humliating and bullying! what an utter cow, i hope the media screw her over for that nasty comment.
 
I can't quite believe people are bringing up CB's sexuality when it has nothing to do with what was said, make remarks about her physical apperance if u must as this is what she did to Liam, Being Gay myself i find this highly offensive nd then remember what a narrow minded, bigotted community the equestrian world is!!
 
I normally think she is very good at her job but was shocked she drew attention to his teeth in a very pushy, insensitive way. Totally irrelevant and unneccessary after his massive achievment. i hope she apologises as it was very rude. She should have been concentrating on congratulating him, not embarassing him
 
Personally I dont think Clare Balding meant it in the way most of you assumed. She wouldnt knowingly and delberately humiliate someone on live TV.

She may know him very well, who are we to say!
 
Moose22 I think what people are trying to say is that Clare bringing up the state of Liam's teeth on national tv right after he wins the Grand National is about as inappropriate as someone asking her about her sexuality with us all watching.

I do think it was a silly thing for her to say but agree that she wasnt trying to humiliate. Perhaps just a joke which didnt come across well to those watching.
 
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Being Gay myself i find this highly offensive

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And those viewers with "bad teeth" (or maybe other hang-ups about their looks) are likely to find Balding's comments highly offensive. Her sexuality is irrelevant to today's faux pas but people have mentioned it with that in mind - a jockey's teeth are irrelevant to how well they won a race yet she saw fit to draw attention to it!
 
I've always liked Clare Balding, and felt she was the best racing presenter on BBC, but she went down a LOT in my estimation for that remark about Liam T's teeth. Quite out of order and completely unnecessary.

Not a fan of the BBC coverage anyway. Richie Persad's innane questions drive me mad. They are too long, too involved, and if he said "Tell us what winning (this race) means to you" once more I thought I'd punch the telly!


Channel 4 any day.
 
I agree totally with JoJo. It was a totally inappropriate comment.
Her sexuality has got nothing to do with her job I agree and likewise his teeth have got nothing to do with his job.

We all have insecurities and hang ups about our bodies. What she said was innapropriate
 
She might not mean to upset anybody but, for crying out loud, if she's so insensitive she doesn't even realise the effect she's having then she shouldn't be in charge of a microphone! Even when she's not being personally insulting, she says irritating things - anyone remember the comment about dressage being boring when she was commentating at Badminton a few years back?
 
To moose, the generalised comments about the bigoted equestrian community are uncalled for, in my opinion the comments about her sexuality have nothing to do with the actual fact shes gay but to the fact that it is something she would be uncomfortable to be questioned about especially had it been her who just won a race.
 
I was totally taken aback by this, it was totally inappropriate, me and my OH were both shocked, poor guy being humiliated infront of the nation.
In her position, she must think before she speaks in future, i hope she gets told off for it
 
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Christ, I'm glad I turned it off straight after the race. Talk about putting a damper on things, it sounds like she's just bu**ered up what should have been the proudest moment of the poor jockey's life.

I hope he didn't let her spoil him enjoying his achievement.

Well Done Liam and Mon Mome!
 
Sarahsharer my comments on the equestrian community are not at all uncalled for, if this had been in any other sport or situation her sexuality would have never been brought up in the first place no matter what she said and having spent the last 10 years in a wide equestrain field I have first han experiance as to just how unaccepting and degrading it can be,
 
Moose 22, you're talking bo**ox, out of all the professional male eventers, I bet more than half are gay. NO ONE CARES. If they win an event an interviewer should say well done, good ride etc, not comment how gay/boring/rich/ugly/big nosed/whatever they are. They are all personal comments which have no place in televised congratulations. You are missing the point.
 
Then you Clearly have no idea if You think that, many people seem to think that 'no one cares' as u put it but you couldn't be more wrong if you tried, and no i'm not missing the point at all, if her physical apperance had been commented on as thats what Clare commented on then fair play, but bringing her sexuality into it was not necessary, Gay Men have it easy in this day and age but Lesbians do not,
 
I'm sure we are all guilty of saying something out loud that we were actually thinking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For goodness sake none of us are angels and Moose, why bring up sexual preferences?

Where the heck did that come from? who cares about that in this day and age?
 
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