Monty Don admits ‘separate home life’ as he reveals what his wife calls him

Monty Don, the beloved face of , has offered a glimpse into his personal life, revealing that at home he’s not Monty but Montagu.

In an intimate chat with Michael Parkinson on the legendary interviewer’s channel, shared that his wife Sarah has never called him by his television moniker: “When I’m at home, I’m Montagu, and my wife, for example, has never called me Monty, my mother never called me Monty, I’m always Montagu.”

He went on to explain how he maintains a clear boundary between his public and private lives: “It’s a completely separate life, my home life has no connection with my public life at all in so much that, you know, there’s no need for them to cross over.”

Despite this separation, Monty acknowledges the incredible experiences his career has afforded him: “But the enrichment is there, the fact that I’ve had the privilege to go all over the world, and talk to so many people, and see so many amazing gardens, it’s something that I never would have had the opportunity to do and that feeds into my home life.”

Fans of the green-fingered legend will be thrilled to hear that he has committed to extending his tenure on Gardeners’ World, as he told Radio Times about his future plans: “I never make plans beyond two years, but I’ve agreed to do another two (from January 2025).”

Monty Don, the nation’s cherished gardening expert, remains passionate about his work: “Every time I think, ‘Am I really going to do this? ‘ But the truth is that I do enjoy it. I’m lucky because it’s in my own garden. If the programme is made well, I’ll continue.”

Having delighted audiences with his ITV’s This Morning gardening segment since 1989, Monty truly blossomed into a household name when he took over from Alan Titchmarsh on ‘s Gardeners’ World in 2003. Tune in for more of Monty on Monty Don’s British Gardens at 8pm tonight (Friday, February 7).