Beloved gardening presenter Monty Don has revealed the devastating financial collapse he and his wife Sarah experienced during one of Britain's most challenging economic periods. The Gardeners' World icon, now a household name across the UK, faced complete financial ruin early in his marriage.
The Devastating Loss of Everything
In a candid interview with The Times, Monty Don described how he and Sarah "lost all our money" during the 1987 financial crash, known globally as Black Monday. This severe and largely unexpected stock market crash created worldwide economic instability that directly impacted the couple's livelihood.
"We lost everything: our house, business, furniture," Monty revealed about the jewellery business he ran with his wife that collapsed following the market downturn. "For about two years, we literally had no money. I was claiming the dole. We were severely in debt."
Seven Years of Financial Struggle
The television personality explained that the couple chose not to declare bankruptcy despite their dire circumstances, a decision he now questions with hindsight. "With hindsight, maybe we were stupid — maybe we should have just said: 'We can't do this,'" he admitted. "It took me seven years to pay it all back. It was very difficult."
Monty and Sarah, who have been married for more than 42 years and have three grown-up children named Adam, Tom and Freya, managed to gradually rebuild their lives from this financial catastrophe.
Rebuilding Through Gardening Journalism
The couple's recovery began when Monty started writing a gardening column for the Mail on Sunday in 1989. This opportunity came just two years after their financial collapse and marked the beginning of his transformation into Britain's most recognisable gardening expert.
Later in 1989, he began presenting a live gardening segment on ITV's This Morning programme, despite having initial doubts about his presenting abilities. "I took the jobs as I needed the work," he explained about accepting television roles during this rebuilding period.
Becoming the Face of Gardeners' World
Monty's television career expanded with presenting roles on BBC programmes including Holiday and Tomorrow's World before he achieved his most significant position in 2003. He took over from legendary presenter Alan Titchmarsh as the main presenter of Gardeners' World, a role he has maintained ever since, aside from a brief hiatus for health reasons.
The presenter has become synonymous with the BBC Two gardening programme, which continues to attract millions of viewers across the United Kingdom each week.
Strictly Come Dancing Rejections
In the same interview, Monty revealed that another popular BBC programme has repeatedly tried to recruit him. He disclosed that he has turned down invitations to appear on Strictly Come Dancing four separate times.
"I have been asked to do Strictly Come Dancing four times," he told The Times. "Last time, when I said no, it took a lot of persuading that I really meant it. I am without question the world's worst dancer."
The gardening expert explained his complete lack of dancing ability and recent knee surgery as reasons for his consistent refusals. "I don't like or understand dancing. I had a new knee in November, so my shapes are limited on the dancefloor," he stated.
Avoiding Celebrity Culture
Monty also expressed his deliberate avoidance of programmes with "celebrity" in their titles, preferring to focus on his gardening expertise rather than participating in reality television formats.
He has previously spoken about how his work commitments can sometimes overshadow his personal life. In a 2009 interview with The Guardian, he acknowledged that his wife Sarah would likely identify his work prioritisation as the most challenging aspect of their marriage.
"Ask Sarah what the worst thing is about living with me and she would probably say that I always put work above everything else," he admitted. "To the detriment of my children, my wife, my health, my life. And what I am really bad at is saying no."
Despite these challenges, Monty Don continues to present Gardeners' World on BBC Two, where he shares his extensive horticultural knowledge with viewers across the nation. His journey from financial ruin to becoming one of Britain's most trusted gardening authorities stands as a testament to resilience and career reinvention.
