Alice Arnold, who until recently was a newsreader on BBC Radio 4, has said she will now speak out in favour of redefining marriage.

The former newsreader is also the civil partner of the prominent TV and radio presenter Clare Balding.

Appearing on a homosexual radio station Alice Arnold was asked if she would now speak out for same-sex marriage. She told the Gaydio station: “Yeah, absolutely.

Opinion

“I wasn’t allowed to give my opinion on equal marriage when I was reading the news.”

She added: “If you are reading the news you are absolutely bound not to have an opinion inside or outside the BBC on any of those topics so I was not allowed to talk about it.

“Of course I had an opinion, so it releases me now to be able to speak about it.”

Sound off

Speaking about her relationship with Clare Balding she commented: “We are in a civil partnership, which to us is a legally binding agreement that we are married and together for life.

“But if we could be married, we would be.”

The ex-BBC presenter said leaving the corporation last month gave her the opportunity to “sound off” about a range of issues.

Petition

The Government is planning to bring in same-sex marriage, despite strong opposition.

Over 625,000 people have signed a petition against the plans organised by the Coalition for Marriage.