Beloved British television presenter and gardening icon Alan Titchmarsh has offered a bittersweet update on his health, nearly a decade after undergoing major surgery on his knees.
The Legacy of a Gardening Career Takes Its Toll
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 surgery was necessary to address damage sustained from years of repetitive bending and kneeling. During the procedure, surgeons removed damaged tissue and cartilage.
Speaking to The Mirror at the time, a relieved Titchmarsh declared, "I had it all cleared out and they feel so much better." He added with characteristic humour, "I've got bad knees as a result of a lot of kneeing over the years from gardening, and it has got a bit frayed in there, but I am a spring chicken again now."
A Candid On-Air Admission About Ageing
Alan recently provided a new insight into his wellbeing during an appearance on his show, Love Your New Year’s Day with Alan Titchmarsh, which aired on Thursday, January 1. While chatting with guests Bonnie Langford and Gregor Fisher, the conversation turned to the topic of age.
"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," Titchmarsh philosophised.
His co-star Gregor Fisher then encouraged him to "Embrace your age, it’s like you and your knees and dancing and all that kind of stuff." In a spirited demonstration, Alan replied, "I can still do this!" and proceeded to get down on his knees and back up again with apparent ease, earning a "Oh very good!" from Bonnie Langford.
However, the moment was tinged with realism as Titchmarsh then joked, "Ow I’ll pay for that later!" – a sad admission that the effects of his past injuries and surgery still linger.
Further Health Woes After the Operation
The knee surgery was not the end of Titchmarsh's health challenges. Shortly after the procedure, he faced another setback during the lockdown period when he broke his ankle.
He explained to the Radio Times that the accident occurred after he slipped on wet grass while maintaining his garden, an activity he had used to stay active, often completing 26,000 steps a day. "I broke my ankle at the beginning of September," he revealed. "I was on crutches for six weeks."
The incident left him frustrated, particularly as weight he had lost returned. "It was very frustrating because you can't even carry a cup of tea," he said. "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 trials, Alan Titchmarsh remains a fixture on British television. Fans can catch him on Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, which airs every Sunday at 9:30am on ITV1.
