Titchmarsh quitting chat show role

Alan Titchmarsh is bringing down the curtain on his chat show.

18 March 2014

TV star Alan Titchmarsh is quitting his long-running chat show.

The gardener, 64, 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.

He said in a statement: "I've thoroughly enjoyed my years at the helm of The Alan Titchmarsh Show but I feel the time has come to move on.

"With some exciting new projects ahead, I'm looking forward to continuing to work with ITV."

An ITV spokeswoman said: "Alan has decided that the next series of his chat show will be the final one to give way to other projects with us which will be announced in due course."

Titchmarsh will still front Love Your Garden and is expected to present Britain's Best Garden for ITV.

Comic Paul O'Grady recently accused Titchmarsh of imitating him, saying: " If I do it, Titchmarsh copies it the next day."