Alan Titchmarsh, the beloved broadcaster and gardening expert, has been a fixture on British television for decades. Away from the cameras, he leads a quiet life with his wife Alison, whom he met in his early twenties at an amateur dramatics society. The couple married in 1975 and have two children together: Polly, born in 1980, and Camilla, born in 1982. They are also grandparents to four children.
Alan on 'having his head turned'
In 2011, Alan spoke to The Guardian about his long-standing affection for plants, joking about having his 'head turned' during his marriage due to his passion for flowers. When asked about his favourite plant, he said: "The old flame I've loved for 50 years is the humble pelargonium. You can neglect them and yet they are good, shapely plants."
He also admitted that a new discovery had caught his eye, stating: "My head has been turned by Annabelle, a summer-flowering hydrangea, with floppy heads of creamy white, fading to palest green."
Alison banned Alan from Strictly
Despite being a television mainstay, Alan has never taken part in Strictly Come Dancing, owing to a ban imposed by his wife. The BBC has approached Alan on half a dozen occasions to showcase his dancing skills, but Alison discouraged him, raising concerns about his knee condition.
Speaking to Saga magazine, Alan revealed: "Alison was a dance tutor and she is convinced my knees wouldn't stay the course." He added that it was not purely his physical health that prevented him: "On top of that, it is a huge commitment; you start in September and you might be there until Christmas. There's too much other stuff I need to be getting on with."
Alan's apology to wife amid 'struggles'
In 2025, Alan issued an apology to Alison while discussing a personal "struggle" he experiences. When asked about habits that might "irritate" his wife, the 76-year-old presenter identified himself as an instinctive "potterer". Writing in Gardeners' World magazine, he stated: "What irritates my wife above all else is my inability to sit still for more than five minutes. I am, you see, a born potterer."
Alan on packing his bag after heartbreaking news
In his 2009 autobiography Knave of Spades, Alan recounted how he found himself packing a bag and departing after Alison delivered tragic news. He reflected on the day his father died, recalling: "As a couple they were totally devoted."
He continued: "Apart from Mum's hens and the fire service they did nothing without each other, so when my father died suddenly of a heart attack in 1986, the bottom fell out of her world. She was devastated." Alan explained that he had been away working when the tragedy unfolded, saying: "I had been working in Stoke-on-Trent at the garden festival. There were no mobile phones back then. I drove back home to Hampshire, oblivious to what had happened, and only when I got there could Alison tell me the news."
He added: "I walked up to the top of the garden and stood for a bit. Leaning on a tree. Then I came back to the house, packed a bag, got in the car and drove up to Yorkshire." Watch Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh every Sunday at 9:30am on ITV1.
