Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost has opened up about the moment he secured the BBC show its first ever royal guest – and it all came down to a ‘cheeky’ question
Adam Frost praised the king’s gardening knowledge(Image: (Image: BBC/Richard Hanmer))
Gardeners’ World star Adam Frost has opened up about the ‘cheeky’ question he asked King Charles which resulted in the iconic BBC programme securing its first royal appearance. During an interview with the Daily Mail’s Weekend, Frost shared that the moment came when he did something ‘not meant to do’ at an unrelated event, saying: “It was because I cheekily asked Charles if he’d do me a favour, and he said yes. Apparently you’re not meant to do that.
“I’d been invited to an event about biosecurity (the threats to our native plants and trees from foreign pests and diseases) and he was hosting it.
“So we did an interview at Highgrove about it for the show. He knows his stuff. If you think what he was talking about many years ago, and being totally and utterly ribbed for it, so much of it has come to the fore. It’s got to be a good thing we’ve got a king who’s a gardener.”
The then-Prince of Wales welcomed Frost, 55, to Highgrove House back in 2018, where they discussed how gardeners could contribute towards protecting plants and trees against external threats. The programme also shed light on Charles’s profound connection with gardens and the British countryside.
King Charles was the first royal to appear on Gardeners’ World(Image: (Image: Getty Images))
The conversation with His Majesty included insights into his experiences combating tree disease while managing the Duchy of Cornwall Estate, reports the Express.
This revelation follows Adam Frost’s divulgence about being warned that retirement could lead to his death within ’18 months’. Through challenging times, including battling depression, his avid love for gardening acted as a comfort and prompted him to seek professional psychological support.
This led to some candid guidance from his psychiatrist. He revealed to the Daily Mail: “What came out of it was that I shouldn’t retire.
Adam Frost revealed the ‘cheeky’ question he asked King Charles(Image: Southport Visiter)
“He told me I’d be dead in 18 months. (He told me): ‘If you’re thinking about retiring, go up the high street, there’s an undertakers, go in and choose yourself a box.
“And I thought: ‘You’re supposed to be helping me.’ It was brilliant.”
Adam also lives with fibromyalgia, a condition that causes persistent pain and exhaustion.