Alan Titchmarsh Fights Back Tears Live On Air—Opens Up About Heartbreaking Fears for His Children

Alan Titchmarsh has opened up in an emotional moment on his ITV show, Love Your Weekend, revealing the deep worries he carries for his daughters—even now they’re grown and have children of their own. Chatting with guests Jenny Agutter and Renee Bailey about classic films and TV, the conversation turned to Jenny’s much-loved role in The Railway Children. Watching a particular scene—the one where Bobbie runs to greet her father with the tear-jerking line “Daddy, my daddy”—brought Alan to tears.

It’s a scene that clearly means a lot to the 75-year-old gardening legend. So much so that his wife, Alison, and daughters, Polly and Camilla, once surprised him with a garden bench engraved with those very words. Speaking to The Times, Alan admitted he has to leave the room when that film’s on—especially if his daughters are watching it too, according to the Express.

Despite Polly and Camilla now being in their forties, Alan still keeps their names on the doors of their childhood bedrooms at the family home. In one of his many books, he reflected on what it’s like to be a father: “Fathers of sons have expectations. Fathers of daughters have worried. You worry about them all the time.”

He added: “I mean, not in a paranoid way, because I delighted in their company and they’re now mums themselves and I’ve got four grandchildren. But you’re only as happy as your unhappiest child and that spreads to grandchildren as well.”

Alan’s always had a soft spot for the simple joys in life—plants, family, and a bit of peace in the garden—but he’s not blind to the pressures of the modern world. He shared his concerns about the digital age, especially social media, saying, “I do worry about social media and its impact, though. It can encourage introspection and become something of an obsession. I contribute to it but hopefully in a more wholesome way.”

He also opened up to Best magazine about the reality of getting older. While he used to be a proud dog owner, he now finds it hard to commit. “As you age and your work commitments reduce, you actually end up being away more,” he said. “It’s not fair on a dog.”

But he’s still getting his dog fixed, thanks to his grandchildren’s pets, and cherishes every moment with them. For Alan, it’s clear that no matter how many years pass, being a dad—and now a granddad—comes with a love that never switches off.