Alan Titchmarsh on ‘heartbreaking’ decision to leave his wife and daughters for career – ‘It’s not something I wanted’
In an episode of James O’Brien’s Full Disclosure podcast in July 2023, Alan Titchmarsh made some moving revelations about what it was like to work as a TV presenter while also being a father of young daughters.
“It’s not something I wanted but it was at a time in my career where I knew it had to be done,” he told the LBC radio host.
In a separate interview, Alan once admitted that he feels “guilty” about his friendly relationship with King Charles, while the King “sweetly calls me a friend, which is very nice of him”, he said.
Just before new year, Alan made clear his thoughts on a Charlie Dimmock reunion for a new series of Ground Force. The long and short of it? It’s not going to happen.
Alan found it difficult to leave the family home every week to shoot Ground Force (Credit: This Morning/YouTube)
Alan Titchmarsh opens up about life as a parent of two young daughters working in TV
While he worked on Ground Force with Charlie Dimmock, Alan Titchmarsh had to spend extended periods away from home.
He hosted the show from 1997 to 2002, when he left it in the capable hands of Charlie and co-host Tommy Walsh.
“It’s not something I wanted,” Alan told James O’Brien in July 2023, of the times he had to leave home to shoot the show.
“But it was at a time in my career where I knew it had to be done. The girls would be sort of 10, 11 that kind of age.
“I would go away on a Sunday evening and come back later in the week. I do remember the heartbreaking thing of kissing one of them goodnight and them saying, ‘Will you be here in the morning?’
Alan continued: “I knew I wouldn’t, and that was hard, of course. I did say, I mean every weekend, it’s not as if I’m in the army going away for three months or a year or whatever, so that was my excuse.”
He only got one O Level, but that hasn’t held him back (Credit: National Garden Scheme/YouTube)
Alan’s tears over daughter gifting him framed photo of his grandchild
In October 2024, during an episode of This Morning, Alan opened up about the “stresses and strains” of juggling his private and public lives.
“I’m not denying real life, I’m choosing a part of life I can cope with. And like everyone else, stresses and strains come from my own family and friends. I worry about them. And I try not to worry about what people say about me because what’s the point?”
He and his wife Alison share two children together: Polly, born 1980, and Camilla, born 1982.
11 years ago, Alan told The Guardian about a heartwarming gift one of his daughters had given him, which had him “blabbing”.
“The family has a competition to see who can get me going at Christmas,” Alan said, referring to his family trying to get him to cry.
“The last time I blubbed was on my birthday, when my daughter gave me a framed photo of my 15-month-old grandson Hugo.
“But I have been known to shed a tear at The Railway Children or Pretty Woman,” he added.
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