Clare Balding refused to host the Queen's diamond jubilee.
The TV presenter has admitted she turned down the chance to front the BBC's coverage of the river pageant because she didn't have enough time to prepare, which led to almost 5,000 complaints over Fearne Cotton - who was the second choice - and her lightweight hosting skills last June.
Speaking at a dinner event at the Royal Television Society conference in Cambridge, Clare said: "I was asked to comment on the river pageant, which was a very noble gesture. [They said] we'd like a female voice to be commentating on it. I said I can't... I've got the [Epsom] Oaks on Friday and the [Epsom] Derby on Saturday. I won't have any prep time, I can't do it.
"I realise I am very precious about prep time, I really need it, I need to put the hours in, I can't just turn up and wing it. I don't want to do it half-cocked and I don't want anyone else around me doing it half-cocked. It can be disastrous ... and it really upsets the public as well."
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