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Rachel de Thame in a blue jacket behind a wooden rail© BBC Studios

Inside Rachel de Thame's home life: from talented daughter to breast cancer battle

The gardening guru is a familiar face on our screens

Francesca Shillcock
Senior Features Writer
Updated: August 16, 2024
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Love gardening programmes and flower shows? Then you're in luck! As much-loved series Gardeners' World has returned to screens.

Alongside regular presenter Monty Don, the green-figured presenter Rachel de Thame is a familiar face to viewers. Want to know more about the TV star? Here's all the information you need…

Biography

Rachel de Thame, 61, is a gardener, presenter and former actress who has become a regular face on TV and in the media thanks to her successful career. She grew up in north London and inherited a love for the outdoors and plants for her father.

Rachel de Thame inside a garden© Instagram
Rachel is such a talented gardener

It's clear Rachel has many skills and talents up her sleeve! As a child, she trained at the prestigious Royal Ballet School at White Lodge in Richmond to a high standard but decided to move away from her professional dancing at the age of 15.

Career

After ballet, Rachel went onto acting and secured a number of roles in shows such as Merlin and the film, Bodywork. She also worked a number of modelling jobs before embarking on her career in horticulture. Rachel then enrolled for two years at the English Gardening School to study a course in Practical Horticulture and Plants & Plantsmanship.

Rachel de Thame with Monty Don's arm around her© Mark Thomas/Shutterstock
Rachel and Monty are a dream team!

Soon after, she successfully landed a spot presenting on Gardeners' World and to this day makes regular appearances alongside many of the show's fan favourites. The presenter is also known for fronting her own series' such as Small Town Gardens and Gardening with the Experts.

Family

Rachel is well-known for her TV and garden work, but you might be less familiar with her personal life. In 1986, she married her first husband, Stephen Colover, with whom she welcomed two children, Lauren and Joe. However, the marriage wasn't to last and the pair divorced in the early 90s.

Rachel de Thame embracing her daughter Lauren© instagram
Rachel's daughter Lauren is a talented illustrator

In 1999, Rachel then married Gerard de Thame, and they welcomed two daughters, Emma and Olivia. The family live in West London but have a home in Cotswolds, too. 

Rachel's daughter Lauren is a talented illustrator and she joined forces with her mum earlier in the year, providing drawings for the star's book, A Flower Garden for Pollinators.

Health

In 2018, Rachel was diagnosed with breast cancer, going public with her health battle when fans noticed she was absent from Gardeners' World. "I haven't been hiding, but I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the beginning of the year and so I have been undergoing treatment for that," she explained. "I'm doing well and coming towards the end of it."

Rachel de Thame holding two bunches of flowers© Instagram
Rachel spoke of her health issues in 2018

Rachel made a full recovery and she spoke of the importance of gardening for a person's health, sharing: "I know there's a big message this year at Chelsea about the importance of gardening for your general health and mental health, if you're going through some chronic illness, whatever it is, it's vital to go out and be in a garden."

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