Clare Balding forced to apologise after Oxford cox outburst on live TV

Callum Vurley
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:17:38 +0000

Clare Balding and Jamie Laing found themselves scrambling to apologise during Channel 4's live Boat Race broadcast this afternoon.

The awkward moment came when Oxford cox Louis Corrigan let his emotions get the better of him following his team's historic women's victory.

"What a f***ing awesome day!" Corrigan exclaimed during his post-race interview with Laing.

The Made in Chelsea star quickly jumped in, telling viewers: "Excuse the language, we're celebrating - it's OK!"

Balding then offered a further apology just before the programme cut to an advert break.

Corrigan had been explaining the team's tactics when the expletive slipped out, describing how Oxford managed to hold Cambridge at bay throughout the race.

The victory marked Oxford Women's first triumph since 2016, bringing an end to eight straight defeats against their Cambridge rivals.

It was a dominant display in tricky conditions on the Thames, with Oxford converting a fast start into a comfortable win by 9.4 seconds.

Team captain Heidi Long, who claimed bronze for Team GB in the women's eights at the 2024 Olympics, was left almost speechless by the achievement.

"I'm quite overwhelmed," she admitted.

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Pete Reed, a former Oxford rower, was thrilled watching from the commentary box.

"That was so incredible," he said on Channel 4. "They're making the memories of a lifetime. I am so proud of them and hopefully that's a change of momentum for the Dark Blues."

Today's coverage marked Channel 4's debut broadcast of the prestigious event, with Laing joining Balding and Ade Adepitan on the presenting team.

Not everyone was impressed with the former reality star's performance, though.

Some viewers took to social media to have a pop at his interviewing technique.

One person wrote on X: "Someone should tell Jamie Laing he's allowed to ask other questions than 'How are you feeling?' and 'How proud are you?'"

Another added: "Jamie Laing is ridiculous. He simply asks everyone in the boat race how are you feeling?"

The win was Oxford's 31st overall in the women's event, which was celebrating its 99th edition this year.