Gardeners’ World’s Monty Don fears ‘decayed’ knees from years of gardening could cut short TV career
GARDENERS’ World star Monty Don has feared his TV career could be cut short – because of his knees.
The legendary BBC personality has appeared on-screen for years and has become a fan favourite for his excellent horticultural tips.
Monty, 69, is best known as the lead presenter of the long-running BBC Two programme Gardeners’ World.
He first appeared on the hit show in 2011 after years on-screen as a top expert.
But over the decades he has spent on the ground tending to his plants, Monty admitted that his knees have ‘decayed’.
However, Monty admitted that despite fears his long-running career might be cut short because of it, he has been able to prevent injuries by using rowing machines and weightlifting.
The beloved personality stated that he also wanted to continue to travel the world with his 87-year-old photographer Derry Moore, who worked on his line of books.
Monty explained: “And we travel the world together. I fully intend to carry on gallivanting like that for as long as my knees will allow it.
“Having said that, there’s never in the history of humanity been a better time to be in your seventies.
“We’ve had fantastic healthcare, a really good diet, by and large a freedom from the cloud of war that no generation ever has had.
He told The Times: “My parents died in their fifties, and when I was a child anyone who was 70 was old, anyone who was 80 was very old and it was barely heard of anyone reaching 90, whereas now it’s so common as to not be worth discussing.”
The star was previously given an OBE in 2018 for his services to charity, broadcasting and horticulture.
Monty first shot to fame in the 1990s when he was a regular face on BBC shows such as Holiday and Tomorrow’s World.
The fan favourite first made his television debut in 1989 on ITV‘s This Morning alongside Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan.
Who is Monty Don's wife Sarah?
Monty met his wife Sarah while studying at university and they married on July 29, 1983.
The pair ran their own couture costume jewellery business from the early 80s to 1987.
Their pieces were sold in 30 countries worlwide, featured in Vogue, and boasted celebrity fans including the now late Princess Diana and Michael Jackson.
The brand – Monty Don Jewellery – was stocked in Harrods and Harvey Nichols, and the couple went on to open their own store in London’s exclusive Knightsbridge.
Monty previously told the Independent that Sarah was “75 per cent of the designing brains” while he was the salesman.
Sadly, the couple’s business went under in 1987 following the Wall Street Crash and they faced bankruptcy.
However, since then, Sarah has switched her attention to writing and is an author.
Monty, meanwhile, has forged his own successful career as a horticultural expert, writer and TV presenter.
Gardeners World is available to watch on BBC Two and stream on BBC iPlayer.