Monty Don, the beloved 71-year-old horticulturalist, has been the heart and soul of the cherished BBC show Gardeners’ World since 2003, succeeding Alan Titchmarsh in this esteemed position. Not just a guardian of greenery, Monty is also a fervent animal enthusiast who has captured viewers’ hearts with his engaging discourses on the joys of plant and vegetable cultivation. Yet, behind the scenes, Monty’s life has been marked by several personal challenges that have deeply impacted him in recent years.
In an emotional reveal last summer, Monty updated his loyal audience after confronting a debilitating illness that laid him low on two separate occasions. This revelation triggered an outpouring of support from his dedicated followers. By 2023, the persistent COVID virus struck again, prompting Monty to share on social media: “That would explain why I have felt terrible for the past couple of days.” This instance marked his second battle with the virus; Monty had previously been confined to bed for four exhausting days, during which he candidly shared with fans, “Boy, doesn’t it knock you sideways – utterly exhausting.”
The effects of the pandemic extended to a vacation in Greece with friends last year. Monty noted a noticeably diminished sense of smell compared to his companions. He also disclosed that his wife Sarah’s ability to smell had been “dramatically affected” since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking candidly on the Gardeners’ World Magazine podcast, Monty expressed, “Perfume is almost lost on me. Occasionally, my wife asks, ‘Which perfume do you prefer?’ and yet to me, they seem identical, or the differences are so trivial that they’re uninteresting. Clearly, that’s a deficiency, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”
In a more recent and heart-wrenching moment, Gardeners’ World contributor Steve disclosed his terminal cancer diagnosis on the show, joined by his wife Pippa. The courageous revelation left audiences moved to tears as Steve shared the grim uncertainty of his prognosis: “It could be two months or two years, possibly,” he revealed, casting a poignant shadow over the gardening community.
Despite this, his positive attitude has remained intact, with Steve regarding his cancer as a “new challenge” during the poignant episode, which was broadcast last summer.
This year, another Gardeners’ World legend died, with Monty leading the tributes. Rose grower David J.C. Austin, who often appeared on the BBC show, died at the age of 67.
He had been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease – a rare, incurable, and fatal neurological disorder.
In an online post, Don said he was “so sorry” to hear news of Austin’s death. “My regards and condolences to all his family,” he wrote.
He went on: “But what legacy he leaves – millions of exquisite roses that will live on for so many, enriching all our lives.”