Alan Titchmarsh has expressed surprise after discovering that a segment of his BBC programme, Garden Secrets, has been broadcast on North Korean state television. The 15-minute clip, which features the 73-year-old presenter at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, aired on KCTV in Pyongyang.
In the segment, Titchmarsh explores 17th-century gardening techniques, plants a parterre-style flower bed, and interviews the estate's head gardener. He also creates a topiary cube and plants a small fruit tree. The programme originally aired in the UK in August 2014.
Titchmarsh said: 'I never imagined that my programmes would reach North Korea, but hopefully the calming nature of British gardening will be well received there.' He hopes the therapeutic aspects of gardening will have a positive effect on viewers.
North Korea analyst Martyn Williams, who monitors the regime's TV output, noted that foreign programming on KCTV is rare, usually limited to sports and science reports. He described the gardening segment as falling into the latter category, being a non-controversial topic.
How North Korea obtained the broadcasting rights remains unclear. Williams suggested it may have been licensed directly to KCTV or shared via a South Korean broadcaster with all-Korea rights.
