Gardening icon Monty Don has canceled several live shows after a trip to A&E. Apologizing to fans, he said, “I’m so sorry to have disappointed everyone who planned to see me,” after being hospitalized and placed on a drip Friday afternoon.
Still receiving treatment on Monday, Monty confirmed he could not attend several tour dates.
Now recovering at home, Monty had been set to perform in Nottingham and the South West as part of his sold-out An Audience With Monty Don tour, where he shares gardening tales and insights into creating his stunning Longmeadow garden in Herefordshire.
In an interview with his dog by his side, Monty said: “Hello, I’m deeply sorry to have let down everyone who planned to see me in Exeter, Truro, Bath, and Nottingham. On Friday afternoon, I was rushed to A&E.”
“I stayed in hospital over Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, needing drips and care, but I came home last night. I’m feeling much better and will spend the next few days quietly recuperating. Hopefully, I’ll be back to full fitness by the weekend,”
Monty shared.
Fans quickly offered support, with one saying, “You didn’t disappoint us; we were more worried about you. Rest and take care.” Another wrote, “Your health is the priority, sir. Take care,” while a third added, “Rest—it’s often the best medicine.”
Monty’s next show is expected at Ipswich Regent Theatre on 29 November, followed by two dates in Cambridge the next day. The tour wraps up with shows in Harrogate and Edinburgh’s Usher Hall.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Monty Don reflected, “I haven’t got endless time left. If I’m still going strong in 20 years, that will be brilliant, but 20 years ago doesn’t feel so long ago.”
Monty, who dismissed rumors this year about stepping down from BBC Gardeners’ World, has been candid about his health struggles, both physical and mental.
In 2008, he suffered a minor stroke, initially attributing it to exhaustion and relentless travel. A brain scan later revealed a temporary blockage in an artery to his brain.
Recalling the ordeal, Monty shared, “It was incredibly frightening, like entering uncharted territory. I told my wife Sarah, ‘Hold me because I think I’m dying, and if I am, I want to die in your arms.'”