Beloved presenter Alan Titchmarsh opened up about his own challenges that he never told anyone about10:18, 05 Jul 2026Beloved TV presenter Alan Titchmarsh says he 'never told anyone' while he was struggling.‌The West Yorkshire born TV personality is famously known for being the face of BBC shows Gardener's World and Ground Force from the mid 1990s until 2002.‌He went on to front several other gardening and nature shows for multiple broadcasters. He's also an acclaimed author, having published three memoirs, several non-fiction books, a dozen novels and even a collection of poetry.‌Nowadays, he presents his own weekly show called Love Your Weekend which has been airing on ITV since 2020. Currently, it is between series but repeat episodes are being shown regularly so viewers can enjoy some of the show's highlights across the years.This week (July 5), ITV invited fans to revisit an instalment from February 2025. Guests included Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page alongside sports presenter turned podcaster Jake Humphrey.‌Humphrey started his career as a children's TV presenter before fronting BBC's F1 coverage then BT Sport's Premier League team. He now concentrates on his High Performance brand.The presenter admitted that he 'was never sporty' and called himself more a spectator. He claimed that what everyone really needs is 'resilience' to succeed especially when times are tough.He spoke candidly with Alan about his early struggles when starting out on TV. Humphrey says that he rang a psychiatrist about his mental health who advised him not to ignore his thoughts.‌Their candid conversation progressed and Alan opened up about his own experiences. Especially as the pair went deeper into the topic of anxiety.Jake suggested: "We're all comparing our real lives to other people's edited highlights reels, and I think that's super dangerous." Alan agreed, adding: "But we all have anxieties...we always will."As Jake inquired if Alan faced his own challenges over the years, the presenter admitted: "Oh yes, yes. I was small at school and pushed around."‌Alan disclosed more about his past, adding: "I mean, I never told anyone. Well, my parents obviously knew," and described how he would retreat to his room for a cry on his own.He reflected on the experience, stating: "You know, it's part of growing up, and we can't shield children from everything. There's no excuse for bullying at all.‌"But, yeah, I was bullied, and if you can find something you love and come to terms with who you are. I was a classic late developer."As the conversation shifted back to Jake, Alan remarked: "This isn't about me, it's about you," to which Jake responded: "It is interesting."Alan offered his own viewpoint and advice for others as he claimed: "You need enablers in life who say 'you know what you should have a go at'. I started as an apprentice gardener, and here I am now with a chat show."Article continues belowAnother repeat of Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh airs again next Sunday at 9.30am on ITV and all episodes so far are streaming on ITVX.