Alan Titchmarsh has been married for an impressive 48 years to his wife Alison - a union nearly as long as his gardening career.
Alan and Alison first met in their early 20s in an amateur dramatics group. The two wed in 1975 and share daughters Polly, 41, and Camilla, 39 and are now grandparents.
The gardening guru married the doctor around the time he first picked up a trawl and watering can. And in the years since Alan's rise to fame, Alison has preferred to keep out of the spotlight.
But like any couple together with so much history, they have not been without their difficult times, reports The Mirror.
Health struggles
Alan, 74, has opened up about his health struggles - some of which stem from his years as a gardener.
The Ground Force star revealed in 2020 that he takes pills to lower his cholesterol levels in order to ward off his family history of heart disease.
Alan explained that his dad and other male relatives have died from heart disease.
"I’m on statins," he shared. "I wish I wasn’t. I don’t like the thought of taking tablets every day, but I’m following my doctor’s advice. He thinks it’s a good idea."
"The thing is, the men in my family have had a tendency to die from heart disease at a relatively young age. My dad, for instance, died suddenly in 1986 from a heart attack, aged just 62."
When it comes to gardening, Alan admits to often having "blackened fingernails, lacerated arms and legs from confrontations with well-armed rose bushes, stabbing pains in the back from carrying paving slabs and large posts."
Alan may have scrubbed up for a historic dinner last year. He dined with Charles the night before the Queen died and says "we understand each other" after bonding for over 40 years.
Alan and Alison Titchmarsh's marriage
Alan and Alison will be welcoming their fifth decade of marriage in 2025. But not all has been smooth sailing - Alan says they have been so cash-strapped in the past that they couldn't afford to eat out.
It's a far cry from their current circumstances. The couple now split their time between their Grade-II listed Georgian farmhouse in Hampshire and their holiday home near Cowes on the Isle of Wight.
He gushed to Yours magazine: "I’m a lucky man, because she’s the most un-materialistic person I know."
"We never went out for dinner, we couldn't afford it. We used to save 25p a week with our butcher so we could be sure of a Christmas joint.
"We would try to avoid the milkman when he wanted paying."
Speaking to the Mirror about how the couple have managed to keep their love strong for all those years Alan said: "Romance is about being thoughtful.
"I have made Alison tea for more than 45 years – but mind you, she’s ironed my shirts every week for years, which is the greater gift."
Tiff with Tommy Walsh
Even a beloved person like Alan can't get on with everyone all the time.
Tommy Walsh was a fan favourite when he appeared on Ground Force with Alan and Charlie Dimmock, but the co-stars once had a bit of a falling out after a garden incident.
While sawing timber one time, Tommy accidentally covered the flower beds in sawdust, leaving Alan fuming at his co-star.
Alan spoke about the squabble to the Radio Times: "Call me picky if you like but I like my Ground Force gardens to be pristine when we finish them. I do not get a thrill from seeing them covered in dandruff."
The two were able to move past the incident although Tommy said things were "hairy" for some time.
"For a while, it did get a bit hairy," said Tommy. "But when we'd both calmed down we actually kissed (yes) and made up. What made me cross was that I was working flat out to get everything ready and here was Alan moaning about a bit of stray sawdust."
According to Alan, the one good thing to come out of the heated exchange was that it silenced their fellow host Charlie for a few moments.
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