Alan Titchmarsh has admitted he is 'in denial' about his health and age after turning 77. The Gardeners' World star made a significant lifestyle change earlier this year, selling his £3.5 million Grade II listed Hampshire home and downsizing to a smaller bungalow in Surrey with his wife Alison, which features a much smaller garden.
Alan Titchmarsh admits denial about age
In his Gardeners' World column, Titchmarsh confessed: 'There is no doubt that I am in denial. I think of myself as 40-something. Ha! While I might be hale and hearty at the moment, I cannot count on such good fortune indefinitely.' He explained the decision to downsize was proactive: 'It's time to leave while I have the choice, rather than being forced out by circumstances outside my control.'
Health concerns and family history
Titchmarsh considers himself 'very lucky' that 'nothing [in his body] has been replaced'. He told The Times: 'You don't know what's round the corner. My dad died of a heart attack at 62. It makes you aware that every day is a bonus, really. I've lived 15 years longer than my dad did.'
Despite this, the horticulturalist has faced health issues. In 2018, he underwent knee surgery after years of crouching while gardening. Surgeons removed damaged tissue and cartilage but did not perform a knee replacement. At the time, he told The Mirror: 'I had it all cleared out and they feel so much better. I've got bad knees as a result of a lot of kneeling over the years from gardening, and it has got a bit frayed in there, but I am a spring chicken again now.'
Other health setbacks
During the Covid-19 lockdown, Titchmarsh broke his ankle after 'slipping on wet grass', requiring crutches for six weeks and causing him to regain weight he had worked hard to lose. The move to a smaller property in Surrey, worth approximately £2.6 million, reflects his desire to manage his lifestyle as he ages.
