BREAKING NEWS: Monty Don immediately reveals his true colours after the show, leaving viewers surprised.
Gardener Sasha York has opened up about what Monty Don is really like away from the cameras after meeting the Gardeners’ World presenter and his wife Sarah at a private dinner.
Sasha, who previously appeared on the BBC gardening programme, shared a selfie from the June meeting on Instagram and described Monty as an “utter delight”.
The encounter came shortly before Monty announced that the current series of Gardeners’ World would be his last after more than two decades fronting the programme.
Sasha Reveals What Monty Was Like in Person
Sharing the photograph, Sasha explained that she had been seated next to Monty during the private supper.
“I had the greatest honour of meeting and sitting next to Monty at a private supper in June,” she wrote.
She also confirmed that Monty had given her permission to share the photo publicly, joking that it may have been the best selfie she had ever taken.
According to Sasha, the veteran presenter was every bit as warm in person as viewers might expect.
“He was, as you would imagine, an utter delight,” she said.
The pair discussed “gardens, grief and life” during the evening.
Sasha was also seated opposite Monty’s wife Sarah, whom she described as “an extremely lovely, kind lady”.
She added that meeting and talking with both of them had been “such an honour”.
Gardeners’ World Connection Made Meeting More Special
The evening carried extra meaning for Sasha because she had previously appeared on Gardeners’ World in May 2024.
She revealed that she used the opportunity to thank Monty for the comments he made after her segment aired.
Monty had concluded by saying: “I so agree with everything Sasha says.”
Sasha joked that her husband Christy was less enthusiastic about those particular words.
The meeting itself had also come as a surprise.
Sasha explained that she and her husband rarely attend social events and had accepted the dinner invitation without knowing who else would be there.
“We very rarely do anything social; we are getting better, but still find it difficult,” she wrote.
They therefore had no idea that Monty and Sarah would be among their fellow guests.
Fans Delighted by Sasha’s Story
Followers quickly responded to the post, with many saying they hoped Monty would remain on television despite leaving Gardeners’ World.
One fan from the United States said viewers there would miss him but hoped he might return in future specials.
Another wrote that Monty appeared just as “lovely and charismatic” in person as he does on television.
Others simply expressed sadness at the thought of Friday evenings without his familiar presence.
Sasha echoed those feelings herself, saying viewers would miss Monty’s “calming voice”.
She nevertheless predicted that his television career was far from over.
“I’m sure we’ll be seeing him soon, somewhere on our screens,” she wrote.
Monty Confirms Gardeners’ World Departure
Sasha shared her post just two days after Monty officially announced that he was leaving Gardeners’ World.
In his statement, the presenter said the current series would be his final one.
“I began hosting the programme 23 years ago,” he explained, noting that he first presented from Berryfields before spending the past 16 years filming from his own garden, Longmeadow.
Across roughly 700 programmes, Monty said he had been privileged to share his lifelong passion for gardening with viewers around the world.
He described the connection with people who love gardens, plants and nature as something he had always treasured.
Monty said he believed “now is the right time for a change”, but made clear that he was not retiring from broadcasting altogether.
He confirmed plans to continue working with the BBC on other projects while also pursuing new opportunities.
“There are more books to write, more programmes to make,” he said.
And while his regular Gardeners’ World role may be ending, one thing will remain unchanged.
Monty promised that he would still be gardening at Longmeadow — with his dog by his side.
