Monty Don, the beloved Gardeners' World presenter, has been married to his wife Sarah for decades, but their relationship had a rocky beginning. The couple met at Cambridge University while Sarah was married to another man. Don admitted on the White Wine Question Time podcast in 2023 that there was an 'intense attraction' from the start, but he never consciously pursued her.
Sarah eventually left her husband, leading to a 'difficult, unhappy tormented set-up' that lasted about six months. Don explained that her ex-husband felt betrayed and angry. Despite the turmoil, the couple married in 1983 at Finsbury Registry Office in London, with no honeymoon. They have three children: Adam, Tom, and Freya.
Early in their marriage, the Dons faced severe financial hardship after the 1987 stock market crash. Their jewellery business collapsed, and they lost their house and furniture. Don told the Times: 'We lost everything... For about two years, we literally had no money. I was claiming the dole.' It took him seven years to repay the debt.
Don's career eventually recovered when he began writing a column for the Mail on Sunday in 1989 and later presented gardening segments on This Morning. He also credited Sarah with helping him seek treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which had caused severe mood swings and depression.
