Alan Titchmarsh laughs off Paul O'Grady's jibes

Alan Titchmarsh has insisted he is not bothered by Paul O'Grady's claims that he copies him - saying that the comments made him 'smile'.

Paul's most recent attack on the garderner was backstage at an awards bash: "If I do it (Alan) Titchmarsh copies it the next day."

But the TV gardener told The Sun he had shrugged off the remark.

"I don't know where that came from, but it made me smile," he said. "How a show is structured is entirely down to the producers.

"I just go on and do my job. Good luck to him."

He added: "I don't bear him any animosity, but I don't know why he got so hot under the collar about it. If you can't say anything nice about someone don't say anything at all."

This isn't the first time O'Grady has slammed The Alan Titchmarsh Show for lack of originality: late last year he accused the ITV chat show of having 'stole' their set.

Alan recently announced that he is quitting his long-running chat show.

The 64-year-old, who is working on new show Best British Gardens, wants to pursue new projects after seven years fronting the ITV daytime series.

His final chat show will be broadcast at the end of this year.

- Press Association