Gardener, broadcaster, and writer, born in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, N England, UK. He became an apprentice gardener, joined the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew (19724), and began presenting gardening programmes for the BBC. He hosted the popular radio series, Gardener's World, and for television presented Ground Force (19972003) and British Isles: A Natural History (2004). He has written almost forty gardening books, including the fastest-selling gardening book of all time, How to be a Gardener Book 1: Back to Basics (2002). A regular newspaper columnist, he has also written a number of novels and autobiographical works.
Alan Titchmarsh|
BBC Promotional photograph |
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| Born: |
May 2, 1949 Ilkley, Yorkshire, UK |
|---|---|
| Occupation: | Broadcaster, Gardener and Novelist |
| Spouse: | Alison Titchmarsh |
| Children: | 2 (Polly and Camilla) |
| Website: | www.alantitchmarsh.com |
Alan Titchmarsh, MBE (born May 2, 1949) is a famous British broadcaster, particularly in the field of gardening programmes on UK television, although Titchmarsh has also had lengthy stints presenting daytime and religious programming on BBC TV and BBC Radio 2.
Early Career
Titchmarsh was born in Ilkley, Yorkshire, England. Titchmarsh would go on to study at Hertfordshire College of Agriculture and Horticulture for the National Certificate in Horticulture, before finally moving to the renowned Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew to study for a Diploma in Horticulture.After graduating, Titchmarsh stayed on at Kew, being employed as a supervisor and latterly a staff trainer, leaving to pursue a career in gardening journalism in 1974.
Journalism
After leaving Kew in 1974, Titchmarsh was initially employed as an Assistant Editor of gardening books by Hamlyn Publishing, before moving to Amateur Gardening Magazine in 1976, taking up the Deputy Editors post, before going freelance in 1979. In recent year, Titchmarsh has returned to writing, both as a novelist (detailed below) and with gardening articles for BBC Gardeners' World and Radio Times magazines, along with the Daily Express and Sunday Express newspapers.
Broadcasting
Alan Titchmarsh first few television appearances were on the long running BBC television show Nationwide as a horticulture expert. This interest in television led to him being invited to present coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show for BBC television in 1983, something Titchmarsh has now hosted every year through to present (2006).
In 1988, Titchmarsh was offered a slot on BBC Radio 2 hosting a gardening show with Gloria Hunniford called House In A Garden, but by 1991, it was clear that Titchmarsh's future lay in television, and he was brought in to host another BBC television program, the long running (and now defunct) Pebble Mill talk show, hosting from 1991 through to the time the show was cancelled in 1996.
The cancellation of Pebble Mill in 1996 gave Titchmarsh to opportunity to move back towards his first love, gardening and he took over as host of another long running BBC television program, Gardeners' World in the same year, with episodes being broadcast from his own garden. In 1997, he took gardening to the masses with a popular BBC1 television series, Ground Force in which he and fellow presenters Charlie Dimmock and Tommy Walsh would perform a makeover on a garden, Titchmarsh making full use of his horticultural skills when restocking the lucky gardens featured.
Staying involved in gardening programs post Gardeners' World, Titchmarsh has hosted two series of How To Be A Gardener, which is his most recent gardening programming to date.
Away from the gardening world, Titchmarsh has had spells presenting Songs of Praise, and a series of programs on BBC Radio 2 where he played a selection of light classical music, and most recently, hosting another BBC television series, British Isles : A Natural History. In recent years, his television and radio workload his lightened, presumably to allow Titchmarsh more time to concentrate on his growing career as a novelist and renewed interest in writing gardening books (see below).
Titchmarsh has also appeared in an advert for the Yorkshire Tourist Board in a series which included contributions from other Yorkshire-born celebrities including Brian Blessed, Melanie Brown, Darren Gough and Brian Turner, and occasionally does other voice over work for adverts.
Titchmarsh will be hosting a follow up series to British Isles : A Natural History which will be titled Nature of Britain and will focus on British plant and animal species.
Novelist
In addition to writing around 40 gardening books, Titchmarsh has recently started writing fiction, and had his first novel, Only Dad published in November of 2001. Running parallel to the fiction work, Titchmarsh has most recently written books to accompany the recent BBC series How To Be A Gardener and The British Isles : A Natural History.
Personal Life
Titchmarsh lives in an old farmhouse called Oaklands in Hampshire, England and is married to Alison, with whom he has two daughters: Polly and Camilla.
Titchmarsh, in addition to his extensive television and writing work, is also trustee of his own charity, Gardens For Schools, and others, including Seeds For Africa.
Titchmarsh was awarded his MBE in the 2000 New Years Honours List for services to horticulture and broadcasting, was made Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Hampshire in 2001, and in 2004, he was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Victorian Medal Of Honour, the highest award the RHS can bestow.
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