Alan Titchmarsh feared BBC smash hit Ground Force wouldn't work on TV
Alan Titchmarsh was one of the guests on James Martin's Saturday Morning alongside award-winning composer Debbie Wiseman, and chefs Nick Nairn and Dipna and Gulu Anand
Alan Titchmarsh initially thought the popular show Ground Force couldn't work on TV - but he was convinced by TV producers.
The 75-year-old gardening expert was one of the guests on James Martin's Saturday Morning alongside award-winning composer Debbie Wiseman, and chefs Nick Nairn and Dipna and Gulu Anand on Saturday morning (November 23).
While rustling up a tasty dish, host James Martin delved into Alan's journey to TV fame and how he became a household name. His most popular show was Ground Force which featured Alan Titchmarsh and his gardening pals Charlie Dimmock and Tommy Walsh from 1997 to 2002.
Alan wasn't entirely sold on the idea that a group of gardeners could work miracles in just two days. He pointed out: "I wanted to make it accessible.
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"So there was a long learning curve before you get told off for instant gardening."
James cut in with his take: "It's the same thing as a chef, you could never create dishes in 20 minutes. Now we're doing it in six (minutes). It's the same thing."
To which Alan had an answer: "My argument was you could, because I said this to the producer, when they said 'We want you to do a garden makeup', I said, 'it can't be done - it takes years make a garden'.
"They countered with, 'Well, what if you had two days? (I said) that's ridiculous. They retorted, 'so you couldn't do anything in two days?'".
That was the pivotal moment Alan Titchmarsh realised Ground Force could become a TV reality.
He shared: "So we did what we did and the people who inherited those gardens, it's the same with Love Your Garden, which I've been doing on ITV, you gift people with a garden and it changes lives enormously and also they get something that they want to look after."
While cooking, James Martin asked the gardening presenter and writer how he started out his TV and radio career. Alan Titchmarsh paid tribute to his late mother-in-law for her support for his freelance media career.
Alan revealed: "I was working there (BBC) for gardening magazines, so they called me and said about the Green Fly and whatnot.
"I then went freelance so I went on my own - I decided I didn't want to be stuck in a London office all my life. I'm a gardener and I wanted be out in the countryside.
"We lived in Hampshire and I just went out on the own. The only person encouraged me to go freelance is my mother in law, bless her, because I said to Alison, you know, this is it, we won't be earning what I'm earning now."
Against the odds, his multifaceted talents shone through, "In fact, I did all right with television, radio and writing and manage to earn a living."
Alan Titchmarsh has since gone on to become a broadcasting legend thanks to presenting Gardeners' World, Ground Force, Alan Titchmarsh Show and Love Your Garden.
The gardening legend has teamed up with famous composer Debbie Wiseman as well, creating a magical Christmas album delightfully named Jack Frost - A Winter Story.