Clare Balding is one of those people on telly who you feel you know. If you bumped into her in the street, you’d probably just smile, say hello as if she were a neighbour before you realised she’s actually a National Treasure.

Her sudden rise to such hallowed status came through her great presenting skills at the 2012 Olympics.

Yet just like a friendly neighbour, she’s been in our lives for many years as a racing presenter and on BBC Radio 4’s Ramblings series.

She’s also a best-selling author after her first autobiography My Animals And Other Family was a huge success. She was in Brighton to promote her second book Walking Home, released last week which documents her time walking with a range of different people on the R4 show.

It was impossible not to think of Ronnie Corbett as she meandered through a series of anecdotes while sitting on a huge red armchair. Her tales cover subjects such as walking with a group of Alzheimer’s sufferers, carrying the Olympic torch and the dangers of racing at Brighton Racecourse (apparently it’s the seagulls and the sea-mist which make it hazardous.) In the second half, she happily answered questions from the audience.

She’s fun, relaxing company who is curious about others and full of gentle humour. In fact, she’d make a great party guest next time someone down your street happens to be having a party.