Rachel de Thame is a well-known face on BBC’s gardening reveals and can be a part of the channel’s RHS Chelsea Flower Present presenting staff
Rachel de Thame is a part of the BBC’s RHS Chelsea Flower Present staff (Picture: BBC)
Rachel de Thame loved a profitable profession as a mannequin and actress lengthy earlier than establishing herself on this planet of gardening.
The tv presenter returns to our screens as a part of the BBC’s presenting staff for the RHS Chelsea Flower Present 2026, alongside Monty Don and Sophie Raworth.
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Whereas Rachel has constructed a fame within the horticultural sphere by presenting roles on in style programmes equivalent to Gardeners’ World, her skilled journey truly started in modelling and performing.
It wasn’t till the late Nineties that she modified course, pursuing her ardour for vegetation and horticulture by enrolling on the English Gardening College.
Right here we study her pre-gardening profession, household life and well being analysis, experiences the Mirror.
Mannequin and actress
Rachel began out as a mannequin and actress (Picture: BBC)
Rising up close to North London, Rachel initially educated in ballet on the Royal Ballet College however contracted glandular fever aged 15, finally deciding to desert her dancing aspirations at 19.
She subsequently studied drama alongside Historical past of Artwork and secured employment at a London artwork dealership.
Whereas anticipating her first little one, Rachel was approached by a modelling company and went on to forge a thriving modelling profession. Casting administrators quickly started placing her ahead for performing alternatives, and by 1998, she had featured within the mini-series Merlin and the British characteristic movie Bodywork.
Merlin starred Sam Neill within the titular function and chronicled the wizard’s life inside the legendary historical past of Britain, loosely drawing inspiration from the legendary tales of Camelot. Nonetheless, after taking up these roles, Rachel selected to pursue her true ardour for horticulture and, following her research, went on to turn into a presenter on BBC’s Gardeners’ World.
Household life
In 1986, Rachel married her first husband, Stephen Colover, with whom she had two kids, Lauren and Joe, in response to Hey! journal.
The couple parted methods within the early 90s, and Rachel subsequently tied the knot with Gerard de Thame, collectively welcoming two daughters, Emma and Olivia.
Rachel’s daughter Lauren is a gifted illustrator who teamed up along with her mom to supply the paintings for the star’s ebook, A Flower Backyard for Pollinators.
Breast most cancers analysis
Rachel was identified with breast most cancers in 2018 (Picture: BBC)
In 2018, Rachel acquired a breast most cancers analysis. Writing in The Instances, she candidly described how she was dealing with the information, saying: “Whereas one is grateful to have choices, therapy is not any stroll within the park.
“Unusually, although, I’ve additionally discovered that there are compensations. High of the listing is a renewed, nearly determined want to get on with a number of the issues that for too lengthy have lingered on a psychological to-do listing.”
The BBC favorite went on to say: “Whenever you’ve felt rocked to your foundations, the one smart factor is to get on with dwelling.”
Thankfully, Rachel’s most cancers was detected at an early stage, and she or he took a short lived break from Gardeners’ World whereas present process therapy.
She instructed the BBC on the time: “I am doing nicely and coming in direction of the tip of it. It is caught early in order that’s all very constructive, so on the entire it is higher to not be working an excessive amount of simply now.”
RHS Chelsea Flower Present protection is on BBC One and Two and BBC iPlayer
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