She’s been described as a ‘national treasure’ and across radio, TV and in print, Clare Balding is certainly a household name.
Now, Clare is bringing her latest book, Isle of Dogs, to the Isle of Wight.
Clare has agreed to appear at this year’s Isle of Wight Literary Festival, which is taking place in Cowes from 3rd to 6th October, to talk about her love for Britain’s favourite family pet.
She joins big names such as Susie Dent, Gyles Brandreth, Tracy Borman and Gen Sir Michael Jackson on the 2024 festival roster.
Isle of Dogs
Isle of Dogs outlines how Britain is shaped by its dogs. Clare has always been fascinated by the impact dogs have on our lives and their place in our national story.
In Isle of Dogs, she explores the characteristics of our favourite breeds, why we’re drawn to them and what they bring out in us, from how we work to how we live.
She talks to people whose everyday survival depends on their dog and those whose experience of life has been transformed by them.
Clare also delves into the work professionals encounter with dogs and how we, as humans, have made use of our canine friends’ superior senses to root out drugs, discover disease, detect bombs and rescue missing people.
About the author
Clare has been at the forefront of sports presentation since 1998. She has been a key anchor at seven Olympic and six Paralympic Games as well as multiple Commonwealth Games and Winter Olympics. She was awarded a special BAFTA in 2012 for her work in this area.
In 2023, she took over as the lead BBC TV presenter at Wimbledon.
She was a key commentator on the BBC’s television coverage of King Charles III’s Coronation in 2023 and for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee coverage in 2022. She has presented the television coverage of Crufts for nearly two decades and Lost Dogs Live on Channel 5, which helps reunite missing dogs with their owners.
She thought she was a dog
During most of her childhood she thought she was a dog and has tried to live with the mentality of a Labrador puppy: be pleased to see everyone and treat every new task as an exciting adventure.
Her first book, My Animals and Other Family, was published in 2012 and won the National Book Award for biography of the year.
In 2013, she was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List and in 2023 received a CBE for services to sport and charity in the Queen’s final Honours List.
Isle of Wight Literary Festival
Now in its 13th year, the Isle of Wight Literary Festival has become an established event in the UK arts calendar.
It has been based in historic Northwood House in Cowes since it began and over the years has attracted a number of top authors including Michael Morpurgo, Joanne Harris and Lynda Le Plante, as well as more left field speakers such as Jo Brand, Michael Portillo and Katie Price.
As well as a huge list of authors, there will be a Lit Feast section dedicated to food and drink, a wine tasting event hosted by Helen McGinn, the popular Fizz Quiz, a jazz evening and a new feature session, Write on Wight, for local authors. The schools’ programme for Island children has been expanded for 2024 with a record 17 schools participating.
The festival has recently been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, highlighting the work done by Islanders to make the event happen.
News shared by Alan on behalf of Isle of Wight Literary Festival. Ed
