Beloved British television presenter and gardening icon Alan Titchmarsh has opened up about his ongoing health journey, nearly a decade after undergoing significant knee surgery.
Gardening Takes Its Toll on Titchmarsh's Knees
The 76-year-old star, whose career has seen him spend countless hours tending to gardens, was forced to have an operation on his knees back in 2018. The damage was a direct result of decades spent bending and kneeling while gardening.
During the procedure, surgeons had to remove damaged tissue and cartilage. Speaking after the operation, Alan told The Mirror he felt like a "spring chicken again" once the problematic material was "all cleared out".
A New Year's Day Update on Age and Mobility
Alan offered fans a fresh health update while hosting his show, Love Your New Year’s Day with Alan Titchmarsh, on Thursday, January 1. In a conversation with guests Bonnie Langford and Gregor Fisher, the topic turned to ageing.
"Your age. You can’t fight that but at the same time, just being realistic as well as being adventurous in what you do, it’s a combination of the two," Alan remarked philosophically.
When Gregor Fisher encouraged him to "embrace your age, it’s like you and your knees and dancing", Alan decided to demonstrate his mobility. He promptly got down on his knees and back up again with apparent ease, prompting praise from Bonnie Langford.
However, in a bittersweet moment, the presenter then joked: "Ow I’ll pay for that later!" – a candid admission of the lingering effects of his past injuries.
Further Health Woes with a Broken Ankle
Unfortunately, the knee surgery was not the end of Alan's health challenges. Shortly after recovering, he faced another setback during the lockdown period when he broke his ankle.
He explained to the Radio Times that the accident happened after he slipped on wet grass. "I broke my ankle at the beginning of September. I slipped on wet grass and was on crutches for six weeks," he revealed.
The incident was particularly frustrating for the active presenter, who had been managing 26,000 steps a day and maintaining his garden. He confessed to being "very cross" when the weight he had lost returned due to his immobility.
"It was very frustrating because you can't even carry a cup of tea," Alan added. "I found having to rely on somebody else doing absolutely everything for me really hard. I'm not a terribly good patient; I don't do ill."
Despite these physical hurdles, Alan Titchmarsh continues to be a familiar and cherished face on British television. Fans can catch him on Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, which airs every Sunday at 9:30am on ITV1.
