The BBC presenter Clare Balding is embroiled in a furious row over a newspaper columnist's "homophobic" remarks about her sexuality. The 39-year-old sports journalist has lodged a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission following a review of her new programme, Britain by Bike, written by the Sunday Times's TV critic, AA Gill.

Balding, who is gay, complained to the newspaper's editor, John Witherow, about the tone of the article. But, she said, she was then even more horrified by his response.

Gill had written: "Some time ago, I made a cheap and frankly unnecessary joke about Clare Balding looking like a big lesbian. And afterwards somebody tugged my sleeve to point out that she is a big lesbian."

After a mock apology, he continued: "Now back to the dyke on a bike, puffing up the nooks and crannies at the bottom end of the nation."

Balding complained to Witherow. She was then "appalled" to receive a reply stating: "In my view some members of the gay community need to stop regarding themselves as having a special victim status and behave like any other sensible group that is accepted by society.

"Not having a privileged status means, of course, one must accept occasionally being the butt of jokes. A person's sexuality should not give them a protected status.

" Jeremy Clarkson, perhaps the epitome of the heterosexual male, is constantly jeered at for his dress sense (lack of), adolescent mindset and hairstyle. He puts up with it as a presenter's lot and in this context I hardly think that AA Gill's remarks were particularly cruel, especially as he ended by so warmly endorsing you as a presenter."

Balding responded: "When the day comes that people stop resigning from high office, being disowned by their families, getting beaten up and in some instances committing suicide because of their sexuality, you may have a point.

"This is not about me putting up with having the piss taken out of me, something I have been quite able to withstand, it is about you legitimising name calling. 'Dyke' is not shouted out in school playgrounds (or as I've had it at an airport) as a compliment, believe me."

She added: "I am happy to be described as a lesbian, as and when relevant, but 'dyke' is too often used as a pejorative and insulting term."

Balding told the Guardian: "I just think there is a time when you say enough is enough. I can take pretty much anything. Words are just words. I've been through a lot worse.

"But this has a huge impact on lots of other people and that's why I thought: 'That's not on.'

"If I said something like that on the BBC I would be sacked in two minutes.

"One can't change AA Gill. But I am really disappointed in the editorial stance of the Sunday Times.

"Is it supposed to be OK because Gill was nice about me at the end? And how can you compare it to someone having a go at Jeremy Clarkson's dress sense?"

"I have to make a stand on this. This is not just about me, and that's why it is important.

"This is in defence of people being allowed to live their lives and not have names shouted at them."

The spat is being followed by thousands of people on Twitter. Balding, who made her debut on the microblogging site earlier this week to call Gill a "twat", is now seeking advice from fellow tweeter Stephen Fry.

A spokesman for the PCC confirmed that a complaint had been received from Balding under clause 12 (discrimination) of the editors' code of practice, and would be considered by the commission.

No one was available to comment at the Sunday Times.

made her debut on the microblogging site earlier this week to call Gill a "twat"

Lesbians should take a leaf out of other oppressed minority groups and start calling themselves “dykes” - claim the word, change its meaning. If black people can do it with the word “nigger”…

The recent problem with David Laws having to leave the government after being outed for fiddling his expenses. His sexuality is irrelevant. He fiddled the expenses and should be charged with theft for doing so.

I thought part of the problem with this was that there had been plenty of heterosexual mps who had fiddled their expenses as much as David laws had and who didn't have to leave? Although granted, they probably weren't cabinet members.

I think that they should be charged as well. No discrimination because of his sexuality.