Beloved television presenter Alan Titchmarsh has movingly recounted the final, heartbreaking conversation he shared with his mother before her death, a moment that transcended their family's traditional emotional reserve.
A Final Hospital Visit
The Gardeners' World star, now 76, detailed this intimate farewell in his book, 'Knave of Spades'. He described visiting his mother, Bessie, then 78, in the hospital. Alan recalled that only her head and right hand were visible above the sheets, noting her naturally dark hair that she had never dyed, an act she would have considered for 'that dame'.
After spending about an hour at her bedside, Alan got up to leave, prompting his mother to open her eyes and ask, 'You going?' He responded by asking if she would be alright, a question that would lead to an unprecedented exchange of affection.
Breaking a Family Tradition
Titchmarsh explained that his Yorkshire family, typical of the 1950s and 60s, was never particularly outspoken with their sentiments. While they kissed and hugged upon meeting, verbal declarations of love were not their custom. However, in what would be their last moments together, that reservation melted away.
'I squeezed her hand and told her that I loved her very much,' Alan shared. Bessie mustered all her strength to squeeze his hand back and delivered her powerful reply: 'Not as much as I love you.'
After kissing her forehead, Alan left. At the end of the ward, he turned for one last look. His mother slowly waved her fingers above the sheets and winked at him. Two days later, she died peacefully in her sleep.
A Lasting Tribute
In a touching act of remembrance, Alan used the money his mother left him to buy a summerhouse. To forever honour her memory, he had a plaque made for the back wall of the structure, which is open on three sides. He remarked that this was 'just as she would have wanted,' creating a permanent, fitting tribute to the woman who meant so much to him.
This is not the only family heartache the presenter has spoken about. In a July 2023 appearance on James O’Brien’s Full Disclosure podcast, he revealed the difficulty of being away from his family during his career's peak. He recounted the painful question his daughters, then aged around 10 and 11, would ask when he kissed them goodnight before a work trip: 'Will you be here in the morning?' Knowing he would not be was, he admitted, 'really hard.'
Fans can next see Alan Titchmarsh on their screens this Sunday, as Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh is scheduled to broadcast at 9.30am on ITV.
