Alan Titchmarsh

Alan Titchmarsh is a byword for gardening, the Delia Smith of the spade. His makeover programmes have freed a whole generation to create gardens without feeling an obligation to be plantsmen and plantswomen first. He also perpetrated blue garden furniture upon a poor, unsuspecting nation and, like the Queen, appears in people’s dreams.

He was the bright young thing who took over Gardeners’ World from the sainted Geoff Hamilton, before becoming the “cheeky chappie” of gardening. Since then he has turned his hand to an array of other projects – journalism, gardening books, novels, garden makeovers, natural history television, Songs of Praise, the Proms, chat shows, voice-overs for ads. You name it, he’s done it, but what’s remarkable is that he has done it all so successfully.

Even the Titchmarsh-haters cannot deny his talent (except for erotica, with one of his novels winning The Literary Review’s Bad Sex Prize). And he’s funny. And, as those in the media business know, he’s a joy to work with: business-like, efficient and, best of all, no prima donna. SA

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