BBC's Monty Don's health battles from cancer diagnosis to near-death experience

Monty Don has been open about the struggles he's faced with his health (Image: BBC/Richard Hanmer)

Monty Don has endured a number of health battles over the years, dating back to when he was just a child.

The British horticulturist and broadcaster, 69, has been a staple on our screens for years since taking over the role of presenter on BBC's Gardeners' World in 2003, succeeding Ground Force's Alan Titchmarsh.

It was as a child in the late 1950s and early 60s at Monty's family home that the seeds of his passion for gardening were sown in his mind.

However, when he was 10, Monty was sadly diagnosed with bone-marrow cancer. He underwent treatment which included having all the bone marrow removed from his upper arm and a year of radiotherapy.

Monty praised his mum Janet and dad Denis for their support as he recalled the year of gruelling treatment. The horticulture expert revealed he still has a scar from his elbow to shoulder following the harrowing ordeal.

Monty was diagnosed with bone-marrow cancer at the age of 10 (Image: Channel 4)

"They took out all the bone marrow from my upper arm. I still have a scar from elbow to shoulder," Monty explained.

He added: "I was in Battle Hospital in Reading, and I knew it was serious because while my father only came once, my mother came every day. And then I had radiotherapy for a year."

Monty later said in an interview with The Times: "I really liked that because I had a day off from school and my mother would take me and we would have lunch at Heelas, the department store, and I would have steak and kidney pie."

In 2008, Monty was forced to step down from Gardeners' World after suffering a mini-stroke.

Describing the harrowing experience to The Mail, Monty recalled: "As I walked it felt as if I was tipping over, so I'd lean the other way and find myself tipping into a hedge instead. I cannot over-exaggerate how alarmed and unwell I felt.

Monty stepped down from Gardeners' World in 2008 after suffering a mini stroke (Image: BBC Studios)

"It was incredibly frightening because it was as if I had entered totally uncharted territory. I said to my wife Sarah: 'Hold me because I think I'm dying and, if I am, I want to die in your arms.'"

Speaking to Times Radio in February, Monty referred to his stroke, saying: "Psychologically, I've tried to put it behind me but, yes, I became very aware of my mortality and that was very real."

Monty has also opened up about suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The health term is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern, which can also be known as "winter depression".

The dad-of-three is all too familiar with the disorder, revealing it once got so bad that his long-term wife Sarah said she'd leave him if he didn't get help.

Speaking on Kate Thornton's White Wine Question Time podcast, last year, he said: "I was long ago diagnosed with SAD – there's no question about it, that November and December are always the worst time for me – I can't bear them.

"It's a lot to do with the greyness, the lack of light and the general sense of the world just pressing in on you and no energy."

Recalling his wife's reaction when his moods were at all-time low, Monty added: "Sarah said to me, 'Look, I just can't take any longer your moods and your black depression, you've got to do something about it because if you don't, I can't live with you – I'll take the children and I'll go'."

Monty later sought help from a doctor who put him on anti-depressants, but he later gave them up and started to use a light box, which helps transition between the seasons.

Monty suffers from seasonal affective disorder (Image: Getty)

Thanks to spending decades on his knees tending to plants, Monty admitted that they've "decayed" down over the years, however, said that he has been able to protect them by using rowing machines as well as weightlifting.

Despite this, the celebrity gardener says he fully intends to keep doing what he loves, travelling the world with his 87-year-old photographer for his books, Derry Moore.

Monty added: "And we travel the world together. I fully intend to carry on gallivanting like that for as long as my knees will allow it."

As an adult, Monty also suffered from peritonitis, caused by an intestinal perforation.

Previously discussing the issue, he told The Guardian: “I spent a few nights in hospital last August with peritonitis. It was very serious, but once they had taken my appendix out and dealt with the infection I was packed off home after just four nights."

Monty credits his wife Sarah for saving his life (Image: Getty)

Monty previously admitted he believes he would’ve been dead following his peritonitis battle if it wasn’t for Sarah, who called an ambulance at 2am.

The author dedicates much time and thought to his health, but can't help but count himself lucky to be born in the era that he has.

The garden guru told The Times: "Having said that, there’s never in the history of humanity been a better time to be in your seventies. We’ve had fantastic healthcare, a really good diet, by and large a freedom from the cloud of war that no generation ever has had.

"My parents died in their fifties, and when I was a child anyone who was 70 was old, anyone who was 80 was very old and it was barely heard of anyone reaching 90, whereas now it’s so common as to not be worth discussing."