Monty Don has hosted Gardeners' World since 2003, but recent years have brought personal hardships. Last summer, he shared an update after being struck down with a 'terrible' illness on two separate occasions.
Monty Don's Health Ordeals
In 2023, he contracted COVID for the second time, telling social media followers: 'That would explain why I have felt terrible for the past couple of days.' He had previously been bedridden for four days with the virus, describing it as: 'Boy, doesn't it knock you sideways - utterly exhausting.'
During a holiday to Greece last year, he noticed his sense of smell was considerably weaker than his companions'. He also revealed that his wife Sarah's sense of smell had been 'dramatically affected' since the Coronavirus outbreak.
Speaking on the Gardeners' World Magazine podcast, he said: 'Perfume is almost lost on me, occasionally my wife has said, "Which perfume do you prefer?" and they're both exactly the same to me, or the difference is so small that's it's not interesting. So clearly that's a lack, but there's nothing I can do about it.'
Steve's Terminal Cancer Diagnosis
A Gardeners' World contributor named Steve revealed his devastating terminal cancer diagnosis on the show alongside his wife, Pippa. He disclosed it could be 'two months or two years, possibly' before he dies. Despite this, he regarded his cancer as a 'new challenge' during the poignant episode broadcast last summer.
David J.C. Austin's Death
This year, rose grower David J.C. Austin, who often appeared on the BBC show, died at the age of 67. He had been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease – a rare, incurable, and fatal neurological disorder.
In an online post, Don said he was 'so sorry' to hear news of Austin's death. 'My regards and condolences to all his family,' he wrote. He went on: 'But what legacy he leaves – millions of exquisite roses that will live on for so many, enriching all our lives.'
