Monty Don made a shock admission as he opened up about his wife's first marriage. The Gardeners' World presenter, 70, has been happily married to his partner Sarah for 43 years, having tied the knot in 1983. But their relationship got off to a tricky start, according to the BBC star.

Sarah was married to a botanist at the time she and Monty were introduced. The gardening expert said he fell in love immediately, despite her being in a relationship with another man. However, Monty admitted this would not deter him from pursuing the love of his life, as he made a startling claim.

Speaking on The Rosebud Podcast with host Gyles Brandreth, the horticulturist was convinced that Sarah's first marriage would have never worked out in a candid admission.

Monty explained: "There was a good side to it because from day one Sarah and I hit it off. We liked each other. We had things to talk about. Anyway, things came to a head."

The presenter explained his wife was only 19 at the time she wed her first husband and they did not have any children.

"It was a young marriage," he remarked, "I don't think it would have worked out anyway."

While he believed their relationship was "genuine", Monty said their divorce was not amicable, because "she ran off with me".

The couple got engaged after he proposed in Scotland, and had secretly planned a wedding for less than a week after popping the question, and the pair have been happily married ever since.

Monty even shared that when they eloped the couple spent days in bed just talking.

They have three grown-up children—Adam, Freya, and Tom—and are grandparents to George and Daisy Rose. Though rarely in the spotlight, Monty has shared glimpses of his family life and expressed regret for being away often when his children were younger due to work.