Following the success of Sunday morning hit, Love Your Weekend, Alan has a new uplifting primetime series springing up on ITV. Alan Titchmarsh: Spring into Summer airs on Monday nights at 8pm, neatly sown between episodes of Coronation Street.
The new 9-part series celebrates everything special about this wonderful time of year, from frolicking lambs to pulling on your boots and exploring the great outdoors. And some very special celebrity guests pop in too.
Naturally we wanted to know more, so we caught up with Alan, 71, over Zoom...
When does Alan Titchmarsh: Spring into Summer air?
Alan Titchmarsh: Spring into Summer debuts on Easter Monday [April 5] on ITV at 8pm. Check out our best Easter TV round-up for more shows to enjoy.
"I’ve been thrilled at the way Love Your Weekend has taken off and that people enjoyed it," Alan tells us. "To be able to carry on with a half hour show between the Corries on Monday evenings, particularly from Easter into Summer, I’m hoping it will give people a shot in the arm and take them out of themselves. If you don't have a bit of countryside you can go into, we’ll bring it to you."
Filming location of Spring into Summer
Alan Titchmarsh’s lovely lockdown filming location is based at Manor Farm in Hampshire.
"Manor Farm is a lovely place to make programmes from," says Alan. "I like being there and there’s a great sense of relaxation for our guests too."
Viewers can expect a celebration of the great outdoors
"I love this time of year!"
Alan Titchmarsh
"Spring into Summer’s whole ethos is country living, but also back garden living," reveals Alan. "However tiny your patch is we’ve got lots of ideas for how to use outside space as an outdoor room, and will be showing how to do that.
"I feel so strongly, especially at the moment, how important the outdoors are to us. It's a safety valve, it’s solace, it's a spiritual uplift, and a great asset in terms of mental health."
Alan reveals special celebrity guests
"We’ve nice celebrity guests lined up to tell us what they like about the outdoors," says Alan. "The first programme it’s Alison Steadman. It’s going to be a classic Easter show with lambs, and she'll be involved in what we’re doing. Other guests include Anton Du Beke [episode two], Twiggy, Michael Ball, Ainsley Harriott and Julie Hesmondhalgh."
Alan is also joined by experts
"We've got great contributors," reveals Alan. "When Tom from Mudchute Farm comes in I find myself listening and thinking ‘Gosh, I never knew that!’ Our carpenter Wayne is making an arbour for the garden, which we’ll see over three weeks. It won't all be bish, bash, bosh, done! And there’s country crafts as well, such as trug baskets."
Yes, Alan will be working with animals!
"Viewers can also expect a Monday night fix of lambs, chickens and heaven knows what else!" smiles Alan. "Not everybody can have a cow or a pig, but it's fascinating to learn about them. I love when we do chickens!"
Spring into Summer is not a gardening programme but…
"It’s an outdoors programme, not a gardening programme, but gardening will be a part of it," explains Alan. "The garden is not just something to tidy and sweep up, it’s enriching. I hope people are stimulated to grow their own food. Not to be self sufficient, but just to be in the garden, make it pretty, brighten it up with flowers, and lift the spirits."
"A garden is like making a good friend."
Alan Titchmarsh
Spring is a wonderful time of year
"I love this time of year. When I look out my window at the weeping willow and little bits of green coming up, it’s so uplifting. There is a feeling of optimism. I’m suddenly aware that my shoulders have gone down a bit," says Alan, adding: "I love sowing seeds and planting. I enjoy watching plants grow. I couldn't be without it. It grounds me, literally. A garden is rather like making a good friend."
