Alan Titchmarsh on his bellringing hobby and being one of Britain's eccentrics - 'I'm just a weirdo fullstop'

ok.co.uk:

We liked it so much we bought a place there,” explains Alan Titchmarsh, as he reveals he’s been in love with the Isle of Wight for almost 30 years.

Britain’s most famous gardener, 74, and his wife discovered the island in the mid-90s and soon bought a second home in Cowes overlooking the sea.

Now he’s sharing his passion by narrating the second series of Channel 5’s Isle Of Wight: Jewel Of The South , which showcases the island’s unique heritage, idyllic landscape and eccentric residents.

During the series we meet ice cream creators, alpaca farmers, yachties, glampers, fishermen, and even an amateur inventor who has created the perfect Chitty Chitty Bang Bang replica. “The lovely thing about the show is that it celebrates the people but it also shows you just how beautiful the Isle of Wight is,” says Alan. “It’s only 23 miles by 13 miles and it floats just off the mainland but it’s got its own magical atmosphere – and that’s what attracted my wife and I to it all those years ago.” The Isle of Wight is only two miles from the mainland where he lives most of the time, but for Alan, the climate is so different he’s able to grow tropical plants and create a unique garden. “I’m surrounded by sea so I can grow things there I can’t grow in Hampshire.