Latest news with #GroundForce
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Alan Titchmarsh says 'if it all finishes tomorrow' as he opens up on tough times
Gardening expert and ITV presenter Alan Titchmarsh, who has been on our screens since 1979, has opened up about his long career and says he has a "lot to be grateful for" Alan Titchmarsh has candidly reflected on his illustrious career and acknowledges he has "a lot to be grateful for". The beloved TV personality, who first graced our screens back in 1979, has a portfolio packed with shows like Ground Force, Gardeners' World, and the Alan Titchmarsh Show. At 76, the Yorkshire-born presenter reminisced about his initial steps in the limelight. He's lent his expertise to BBC Radio 4's You and Yours and The Today Programme as a gardening guru, and, even before fame, he edited gardening books and penned his own. However, Alan, hailing from Ilkley, West Riding, pointed out that "many people don't realise how difficult" life was in 1950s Yorkshire. He admits the need for "realistic aspirations" was a driving force in his early life. With just one O Level to his name upon leaving school, Alan began his journey as an apprentice gardener with Ilkley Council. His passion for plants propelled him through studies at the Hertfordshire College of Agriculture and Horticulture, leading to a coveted position at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. In a frank discussion with Saga magazine, Alan offered this stark take on youthful ambition: "There seemed no point in having any." He humbly added: "So, if it all finishes tomorrow, I will have a lot to be grateful for. I'm of an age now where not many people my age are on the box, but I'm still doing new things and I've still got my hair." Currently embracing digital trends with recent ventures into YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, Alan is keen to "give people their money's worth". With a sense of gratitude, he comments on feeling "blessed" to prolong his tenure in media. Alan recently revealed that he's been cutting down on his workload, confessing that he's stopped working on Fridays and sometimes even Mondays. Discussing his choice to take a step back, he commented: "It's the old cliché, but you can't get it back", alluding to the invaluable time spent with loved ones. "My oldest grandchild has just hit 13 and you think, 'Oh crumbs! I've got a teenager as a grandchild now'." Together with his wife Ali, to whom he's been married for over half a century, they share two daughters, Polly and Camilla, and are proud grandparents to four. Despite not anticipating such a packed agenda at his age, Alan still relishes the work that keeps coming his way. The cherished television gardener is set to grace our screens again this week with Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh. Scheduled for 9.30am on ITV One, the show will feature guests Anita Dobson, Tom Allen, and Amol Rajan. Garden expert Camilla Bassett-Smith will give us a glimpse into her summer diary, while there's also a segment for wildlife enthusiasts to catch up with the brown bears at Jimmy's Farm. Andy Clarke will be on hand to talk about the top tipples and snacks.
Scottish Sun
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
The £23.99 water feature shoppers are snapping up for £2 in The Range & it'll turn your garden into a tranquil haven
Watch the video above to see some other budget-friendly tips to makeover your garden this summer WAT-ER FIND The £23.99 water feature shoppers are snapping up for £2 in The Range & it'll turn your garden into a tranquil haven ALAN Titchmarsh regularly used water features in his beloved TV show Ground Force to inject "life" into boring gardens. But the additions can prove rather costly, with people often trying to make one themselves on a budget. Advertisement 2 Shoppers are racing to The Range to nab this £23.99 water feature for just £2 Credit: facebook/extremecouponingandbargainsuk 2 Christine took to Facebook to share that she nabbed the bargain because the box was slightly damaged - and it wasn't the only one on the shelf Credit: Alamy However, they might want to head to their local branch of The Range instead of faffing around with a DIY project. As one chuffed shopper has revealed how she managed to nab a "captivating" £23.99 water feature for just £2. Christine took to the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group on Facebook to share her epic find. Posting a snap of the gorgeous glass hummingbird feature, she wrote: "I got this for £2 from The Range because the box was a little ripped. Advertisement "There was a few of them on the shelf with the boxes the same so I grabbed one. "I love it!" Her picture showed the water feature all set up and running, with the H20 running from a lily pad at the top to one at the bottom, as a hummingbird flew down to try and have a drink. People were quick to comment on the Facebook post, with one writing: "This looks lovely!" Advertisement "Wow, what a bargain," another gushed. As a third called it "beautiful", someone else said it was "so pretty", and another called it "so cute in an odd kinda way". "Bargain, so pretty" someone else wrote. "What a bargain, well done!" another said. Advertisement While someone else commented: "Saw this today, but it wasn't £2!" And Christine's find was made all the more impressive by the fact that the exact same water feature is currently being sold in Homebase for a whopping £23.99. "This stunning Glass Hummingbird Water Feature will transform a sunny garden spot into a tranquil haven," Homebase says of the design on their website. "The exquisite stained-glass design depicts a charming pond, complete with pink flowers from which gentle streams cascade. Advertisement "A hummingbird, crafted with iridescent detail, seems eternally suspended in mid-air above the blooms." The store concluded by saying the feature makes "a captivating focal point for any garden", and is "guaranteed to delight family and friends".
The Sun
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The £23.99 water feature shoppers are snapping up for £2 in The Range & it'll turn your garden into a tranquil haven
ALAN Titchmarsh regularly used water features in his beloved TV show Ground Force to inject "life" into boring gardens. But the additions can prove rather costly, with people often trying to make one themselves on a budget. 2 2 However, they might want to head to their local branch of The Range instead of faffing around with a DIY project. As one chuffed shopper has revealed how she managed to nab a "captivating" £23.99 water feature for just £2. Christine took to the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group on Facebook to share her epic find. Posting a snap of the gorgeous glass hummingbird feature, she wrote: "I got this for £2 from The Range because the box was a little ripped. "There was a few of them on the shelf with the boxes the same so I grabbed one. "I love it!" Her picture showed the water feature all set up and running, with the H20 running from a lily pad at the top to one at the bottom, as a hummingbird flew down to try and have a drink. People were quick to comment on the Facebook "Wow, what a bargain," another gushed. As a third called it "beautiful", someone else said it was "so pretty", and another called it "so cute in an odd kinda way". "Bargain, so pretty" someone else wrote. "What a bargain, well done!" another said. While someone else commented: "Saw this today, but it wasn't £2!" And Christine's find was made all the more impressive by the fact that the exact same water feature is currently being sold in Homebase for a whopping £23.99. "This stunning Glass Hummingbird Water Feature will transform a sunny garden spot into a tranquil haven," Homebase says of the design on their website. "The exquisite stained-glass design depicts a charming pond, complete with pink flowers from which gentle streams cascade. "A hummingbird, crafted with iridescent detail, seems eternally suspended in mid-air above the blooms." The store concluded by saying the feature makes "a captivating focal point for any garden", and is "guaranteed to delight family and friends".
The Irish Sun
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
The £23.99 water feature shoppers are snapping up for £2 in The Range & it'll turn your garden into a tranquil haven
ALAN Titchmarsh regularly used water features in his beloved TV show Ground Force to inject "life" into boring gardens. But the additions can prove rather costly, with people often trying to make one themselves on a budget. Advertisement 2 Shoppers are racing to The Range to nab this £23.99 water feature for just £2 Credit: facebook/extremecouponingandbargainsuk 2 Christine took to Facebook to share that she nabbed the bargain because the box was slightly damaged - and it wasn't the only one on the shelf Credit: Alamy However, they might want to head to their local branch of The Range instead of faffing around with a DIY project. As one chuffed shopper has revealed how she managed to nab a "captivating" £23.99 water feature for just £2. Christine took to the Posting a snap of the gorgeous glass hummingbird feature, she wrote: "I got this for £2 from The Range because the box was a little ripped. Advertisement Read more Garden stories "There was a few of them on the shelf with the boxes the same so I grabbed one. "I love it!" Her picture showed the water feature all set up and running, with the H20 running from a lily pad at the top to one at the bottom, as a hummingbird flew down to try and have a drink. People were quick to comment on the Facebook post, with one writing: "This looks lovely!" Advertisement Most read in Fabulous "Wow, what a bargain," another gushed. As a third called it "beautiful", someone else said it was "so pretty", and another called it "so cute in an odd kinda way". "Bargain, so pretty" someone else wrote. "What a bargain, well done!" another said. Advertisement While someone else commented: "Saw this today, but it wasn't £2!" And Christine's find was made all the more impressive by the fact that the exact same water feature is currently being sold in Homebase for a whopping £23.99. "This stunning Glass Hummingbird Water Feature will transform a sunny garden spot into a tranquil haven," Homebase says of the design "The exquisite stained-glass design depicts a charming pond, complete with pink flowers from which gentle streams cascade. Advertisement "A hummingbird, crafted with iridescent detail, seems eternally suspended in mid-air above the blooms." The store concluded by saying the feature makes "a captivating focal point for any garden", and is "guaranteed to delight family and friends".
Daily Mirror
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Alan Titchmarsh admits 'I owe everything to it' as he reaches milestone
Alan Titchmarsh is celebrating his birthday today and the famed television presenter and gardening expert has refected on what brings him longevity and happiness in life Broadcaste r Alan Titchmarsh is toasting to his 76th birthday today (May 2), and he's taken a moment to reflect on what truly brings him joy in life. While the nation knows him as a beloved television presenter and green-fingered gardening expert, at his core, Alan is all about family. He's been married to his wife Alison since 1975, and together they've raised two daughters, Polly and Camilla, and dote on their four grandchildren. In a conversation with Reach PLC, he expressed his down-to-earth perspective: "I owe everything to good luck and a following wind! "I love my work, I love being outdoors in my garden, I have a hugely supportive family. I enjoy my food and drink - in moderation of course - and above all I laugh a lot. It's worked for me." Alan has become a household name through programmes like Ground Force, Gardeners' World, and Love Your Weekend, even catching the eye of celebs such as David Beckham. As he celebrates another milestone, the proud Yorkshireman isn't slowing down. He's reaching out to fans with his new venture, Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh, broadcasting from his own Hampshire garden. Despite his fame and success on the small screen, it's the simple pleasures that Alan cherishes the most, as he revealed in a recent interview with The Telegraph. He expressed: "Awards and work achievements aside, I'm actually most proud of raising a happy family with two children who are still talking to me and with whom I'm very close. We always sat at a table for dinner and (this being the pre-mobile era) just talked, anything to keep the conversation going. "We weren't immune to the odd door slam, like every parent, but I'm just so grateful for them. Now they're in their 40s, with their own families, I admire everything they've achieved." Alan is set to celebrate his golden wedding anniversary with his partner in July, yet his love life could have taken a different turn. He once admitted that he had an initial interest in a woman who ended up marrying one of his mates, only to be turned down by her. Discussing how he eventually fell for Alison, he shared on the Rosebud podcast: "I pursued her. "But we got on very well, we were always very comfortable. We had a couple of friends who were together in the operatic as well. "In fact I asked my friend Steve's now wife – they've just celebrated their golden wedding – I asked her out first, on Thursday. She said, 'Oh I can't do tonight, it's the night I wash my hair.'". He continued: "Anyway, we all used to go out together in a group. Alison was sort of there, we sort of got on, I thought she was really rather special." Before becoming a mainstay on Gardener's World in 1996, Alan first graced television screens as a horticulture expert on the BBC's Nationwide.
