Clare Balding

British television presenter Clare Balding reveals her grandmother thought she was "disgusting" after it surfaced she was gay.

The 42 year-old recently appeared on BBC 4's Desert Island Discs and said the pair didn't speak for six months after the revelation.

Balding made the decision to tell her grandmother of her sexual orientation after been photographed at a film premiere with her partner, Alice Arnold.

Continue reading: Clare Balding Reveals Grandmother's Disgust On Discovering Her Sexuality

The 2012 London Olympics was recognised by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Craft Awards on Sunday night (April 28), taking home three awards in total, whilst Chanel Four's coverage of the Paralympics was awarded the prize for best digital creativity. The Olympics opening ceremony won it's production team a Best Director award, with Super Saturday - when Team GB scoop six gold medals - winning best sound to round-up the awards sweep.

Clare Balding was also recognised by the Royal Television Society last month

Clare Balding took home a special award for her contribution to both the Olympics and for her enduring career as a sports broadcaster, whilst Hamish Hamilton, the man who directed the TV broadcasts of the London 2012 opening and closing ceremonies, was also honoured on the night by a video message featuring Bono, Beyonce, Usher and Robbie Williams, and with a special award in recognition of his "outstanding creative contribution to the industry and his extensive work and accomplishments in his field".

Continue reading: Olympic Broadcast Receives Special BAFTA Award For Golden Coverage Of The Games

This year's Women in Film and Television (WFTV) Awards had a strong influence from the Olympics, which had dominated national thought and energy for years leading up to the summer's event, reports the Guardian. The Olympics has affected a few people personally- namely, the competitors and their coaches- but also, as these awards note, the hard working people that made it all possible for us to watch and enjoy.

Clare Balding won Achievement of the Year for her work presenting the Olympics She said: "I take the award on behalf of all of the women in sports television. I think it's important for young girls who are, I hope, watching us and thinking 'that's a job I want to do' to know that warmth, humour, intelligence, doing your homework; that's what matters." And adding a jolly quip, she said, "I'm not getting this award because of what I look like, or my dress sense - we all know that." She really is a shining light for women's role models, an arena that has been sadly saturated by the Bella Swans and Katie Prices for many years seems to be hitting a turning point in not only the representation of women, but of their perceived value. 

The Chief Exec of WFTV Kate Kinnimont highlighted the summer's sports achievements and their residual impact saying that she was very proud that "three... winners - Clare Balding, Barbara Slater and Tracey Seaward - were key players in delivering the most watched TV event in UK broadcasting history, the London Olympics". 

Continue reading: Olympic Clare Balding Awarded Among Female 'Inspirations And Role Models'