ITV gardener Alan Titchmarsh revealed what inspired him to embark on a new career venture, following a recent change to his working schedule
Alan Titchmarsh has added a new chapter to his long-running career – though it comes with a few nerves. Best known for his gardening expertise, the 76-year-old is also an established author with numerous books to his name. For his 13th fiction title, the green-fingered expert is turning to a new genre – murder mystery.
Inspired by a transatlantic cruise on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, the novel is set to be published next year.
Explaining how the idea came about, he said: “There were about 30 of us, writers and journalists, on board for a literature festival and one of the authors said to me, ‘Alan, you’ve never written crime, come on, it’s time you did’. The seed was sown then.”
Despite his enthusiasm, Alan admitted he does have some concerns about the reception of the book. Speaking to Yours Magazine, he said: “I have no doubt holes will be picked in my plot, but I have thoroughly enjoyed writing it. The characters are interesting and there’s a bit of humour. I never write things terribly, terribly serious.”
The new venture comes after he announced plans to scale back his working schedule in order to better balance professional commitments and family life.
According to Woman’s Weekly, he now avoids working on Fridays and occasionally Mondays.
As part of this shift, he has launched a YouTube channel, where he shares gardening advice, tips and demonstrations from the comfort of his own home.
“It’s had millions of views,” he told Yours. “It’s amazing. I think YouTube’s great strength is that it’s an intimate medium. One person has got you in their hand rather than a screen with a room and a country full of people watching it.”
Welcoming viewers to his channel, he said: “I’ve been a gardener for over 60 years and I can safely say that gardening is one of life’s greatest joys, and I can’t wait to share it with you.
“Whether you have green fingers or just starting out with your very first window box, join me in my garden for practical tips, step-by-step guides, and plenty of friendly advice to help you make the most of your garden – large or small.
“So pop the kettle on, pull up a chair (or a trowel!), and join me each week as we celebrate the wonderful world of gardening together,” he added.
In a recent episode, Alan shared seasonal advice for spring gardening tasks, highlighting it as the ideal time to tend to lawns affected by winter moss.
He added that gardeners should also focus on pricking out seedlings, sowing vegetable seeds, planting hardy perennials, and introducing cherry trees into their gardens.
Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh airs Sundays at 9.30am on ITV and ITVX
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