Dan Walker talks to Alan Titchmarsh on 3am wake up for BBC Breakfast
Alan Titchmarsh is known for being a pro with plants, currently starring on Love Your Garden transforming green spaces.
Before TV fame, Alan honed his skills at the Hertfordshire College of Agriculture and Horticulture. He then furthered his education at the prestigious Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, where he earned a Diploma in Horticulture.
After graduating, he stayed on at Kew as a supervisor before embarking on a career in gardening journalism.
However, Alan’s talents extend beyond gardening books. In fact, he has a rather surprising side hustle as a writer of racy novels.
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Alongside his gardening how-to guides, biographies, and National Geographic books, he is also a best-selling author of steamy fiction novels that would make fans of Jilly Cooper blush.
Titles such as The Scarlet Nightingale, Animal Instincts, and Love and Dr Devon showcase his versatility as a writer.
But don’t let the steamy scenes fool you. Alan insists that his novels have become less racy over the years. In fact, his first novel, Mr MacGregor, was even nominated for the Literary Review’s Bad Sex in Fiction Award in 1998.
Alan admits recording the audiobook was an awkward experience, telling the Mirror: “My first book was a bit of a romp, but when you come to record the audiobook – that’s when you get your comeuppance.
“When you’ve got to sit in a room on your own, with a sheet of glass between you and a very large, bearded man twiddling knobs, and say the words.”
Despite the risqué nature of his novels, Alan’s daughters, Polly and Camilla, have yet to read them. He understands their hesitation, saying: “That’s a lot to ask, reading a love story written by your father. They’re like all children, they can’t believe their parents actually do anything.”
While his daughters may not be fans, Alan has certainly captured the hearts of many female admirers. In fact, there were reports his Madame Tussaudswaxwork was receiving a lot of female attention and even being “fondled.”
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Alan found the whole situation amusing, but his wife of 48 years, Alison, was taken aback by his newfound ‘sex symbol’ status. “
He said: “I’m chuffed to bits I had a waxwork that was kissed a lot. But it raised eyebrows from the children and wife. When we heard about it, Alison thought they must have been talking about someone else.”
Even the late Queen Elizabeth II recognised Titchmarsh’s charm when she awarded him an MBE in 2000. She famously said: “You give a lot of ladies a lot of pleasure.”
Despite his popularity and the attention he receives, Alan remains grounded, thanks to his family. He describes his wife Alison as “the most un-materialistic person” he knows, and he believes that thoughtfulness is the key to a successful long-term relationship. “Romance is about being thoughtful,” he says.
“I have made Alison tea for more than 45 years – but mind you, she’s ironed my shirts every week for years, which is the greater gift.”
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