Gardeners' World legend Monty Don has revealed how he feels about fans branding him a 'sex symbol'.
The presenter has been part of Gardeners' World since 2003 and has gone on to host several programs all about horticulture, becoming a household name for fellow green-fingered fans across the nation.
As well as Gardeners' World, he is currently appearing in Monty Don's American Gardens which is airing on BBC Two.
Since he's been on our screens for a while, he has got a bit of a reputation among fans, with some viewers considering him to be a sex symbol, something he admits he gets "slightly embarrassed" about.
He told The Guardian: "Well, I feel slightly embarrassed, sort of smirky. My wife would say: ‘Look at you smirking at that question.’ I’ve been living with somebody for 43 years, who I love more and more, so on one level, it’s so irrelevant as to be silly."
He went on to add that the people he encounters regularly would not think he was "remotely sexy", saying: "On another level, I’m human – I’d rather that said about me than not. But I can’t tell you how insular my life is outside work. I go in the garden. I see a few people every day, usually the same people. I like them very much and not one of them thinks I’m remotely sexy."
In addition to this, he told the publication that the man he is off camera is very different to what fans might think of him.
He said: "That’s a better question. Montagu is probably more gloomy, more serious, more difficult than Monty, who gives people what they want, to a degree. I always think of myself as Montagu."
There's sad news for fans too, as he teased to the publication that he will probably leave Gardener's World “within the next five years" because he wants to conserve his time and energy to make more documentaries.
It is not yet known who might step into Monty's shoes when he decides to depart the series, but it's looking like he'll be around for a few more years.
The most recent episode of Gardeners' World 2023 aired on Friday, November 3, 2023, on BBC Two and you can catch up on BBC iPlayer.
