Beloved gardening presenter Alan Titchmarsh has undertaken a significant life change over the past year – and confesses “I can’t look back”.
The former Gardeners’ World presenter, 77, has been wed to his wife Alison for a remarkable 51 years. The pair have two adult daughters, Polly and Camilla, who have since both left home.
Alan and Alison ultimately faced the difficult decision that confronts many people at a particular point in their lives – whether to downsize their property or remain put.
They chose to part with their Grade II listed farmhouse in Hampshire, where they’d resided since 2002, relocating to a bungalow in Surrey. The transaction was finally completed earlier this month.
Departing the property also meant relinquishing something else Alan had devoted himself to relentlessly for nearly a quarter of a century – his beloved garden, reports Wales Online.
While he’s attempting not to dwell on the past, he grew visibly moved when reflecting on the immense time, dedication and affection he’d invested in his garden masterpiece.
View 3 ImagesAlan and his wife Alison downsized to a more modest property (Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
Alan revealed to The Times: “I love that garden more than I’ve loved anything I’ve ever made. I’ve given it a quarter of a century of love and care.
“But when we hand over the key and close the gate, I’m not looking back. I can’t.”
Alan acknowledged that leaving Hampshire has been “an enormous wrench”. He added: “It’s a pretty big number and in another 10 years’ time I probably would have found where we were too much for one man.
“Four and a half acres of busy garden – and yes, I had help but help costs money.”
Alan and Alison originally listed the property for £3.95million before slashing the price to £3.5m. Their new single-storey home set them back £2.6m.
In contrast to his Hampshire garden, the presenter’s new outdoor space in his more understated setting is firmly closed to television crews.
View 3 ImagesAlan Titchmarsh admits “I can’t look back”(Image: Getty Images)
Alan, who previously fronted garden transformation programme Ground Force and now hosts Love Your Garden, acknowledges that despite their move to smaller premises, he and Alison have yet to ease their pace.
This comes after pledging to one another that they would adopt a gentler approach. They mentioned plans to take Mondays and Fridays off, which he confesses “is not really working”.
The television host accepts he has no intention of retiring since he pursues a profession that others retire specifically to devote more time towards.
Beyond his role on Love Your Weekend, Alan broadcasts on Classic FM during Saturday afternoons and pens murder mystery fiction. His YouTube platform, Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh, has become enormously successful with 167,000 subscribers to date.
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Alan returns with Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh from 9.30am to 11.30am on ITV this morning (Sunday, June 22). He is joined by comedian Omid Djalili and political commentator Robert Peston.