Clare Balding Complains To Press Commission

Sunday Times writer AA Gill refers to presenter as 'dyke on a bike'

"One can’t change AA Gill. But I am really disappointed in the editorial stance of the Sunday Times," was Clare Balding's comment to Guardian after revealing that she had complained about Gill to the Press Complaints Commission.

The Chiswick resident said she was 'appalled' that the Sunday Times editor had allowed Gill to refer to her as a 'dyke on a bike’ in a review of her new cycling programme, Britain By Bike.

Balding revealed on Twitter last week that she had complained to the PCC about the use of words.

She told the Guardian, "I just think there is a time when you say enough is enough. I can take pretty much anything. Words are just words. I’ve been through a lot worse. But this has a huge impact on lots of other people and that’s why I thought: ‘That’s not on.’ If I said something like that on the BBC I would be sacked in two minutes."

The Sunday Times confirmed that they had received details of Clare Balding's complaint stating that they would be responding in due course.

Balding's complaint is reported to have been one of a number about AA Gill’s treatment of the BBC presenter.

Clare Balding was forced to apologise last year after her ‘joke’ about Grand National-winning jockey Liam Treadwell and his funny looking teeth.

Her comment about Treadwell not having the best teeth in the world prompted more than 2,000 people to complain to the BBC and almost sparked an inquiry by Ofcom.

The BBC issued a formal apology on her behalf.

August 2, 2010