Clare Balding's brutal 'ultimatum' from wife as she turns down Strictly Come Dancing

Clare Balding, who turns 55 today, recently opened up about why she wouldn't do Strictly Come Dancing. The sports presenter has been offered a slot on the BBC show she adores, but has turned down the offer for two reasons.

Previously discussing why, Clare said she firstly can't dance and joked: "It's not something anybody needs to see, it's not."

Furthermore, Clare added that her wife Alice Arnold, 62, has shared strong views about not wanting her to do the show.

"Alice has very strong feelings about this," she told Alison Hammond on the Smart TV podcast.

"When the request came through she said, 'You can say yes to that if you like, but I won't be here when you come back'."

In response, This Morning's Alison said she understood the "ultimatum" and claimed the show "does split people up", seemingly referring to the so-called Strictly curse.

The term is used to describe relationship break-ups that can occur amongst contestants or professionals, during or shortly after they've competed on the show.

Alison went on to suggest that watching a partner dance with somebody else "has got to hurt a little", to which Clare agreed.

Clare and Alice married in 2015, 16 years after they first met and became friends.

Reflecting on the early stages of them getting to know each other, Alice previously said on the Rosebud podcast: "I didn't think anything. We were both in other relationships.

"Then she came to dinner. I thought you were great at what you did, but a relationship with her was so not on the cards for me. I just knew I liked her and she was fun."

Despite her initial thoughts, a romance blossomed between them and they haven't looked back since.

In recent years, the couple have appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox together, while Clare, whose dad Ian sadly died earlier this month, also took part in Celebrity Traitors last year.

Despite being a faithful, the presenter failed to convince her fellow celebrities and was banished from the castle early on in the game.

After Alan Carr was crowned the winner of the show, Clare reflected on her experience and revealed why she wouldn't take part in another reality show.

"It's huge," she said of the programme. "I can’t believe the impact the Traitors has had. I probably wouldn’t do reality TV again. But only because, what's the point? I’ve done the big one.

"Bigger things are represented by the Traitors even though it’s just a gameshow," she added to Good Housekeeping.

"One of the things I’ve most definitely learned is humour is the most fabulous shield.

"It is the most brilliant way of getting away with things but also raising quite serious issues. I thought Alan was magnificent."