Alan Titchmarsh dubbed ‘sworn enemy’ after comment by Jill Dando | TV and radio Show business and television

Normally popular gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh sparked outrage among fans after his remark, which was featured in NetflixA recent documentary about a tragic unsolved murder BBC hosted by Jill Dando.

ITV and BBC The star came under fire after a restored clip of the interview was included in the documentary.

Archive footage shows Titchmarsh interviewing Dando, who was shot dead outside her home in Fulham in 1999.

During the conversation, he says, “Women who say, ‘We have a much harder time on air…’ And I keep thinking, ‘Absolute nonsense, I mean, if you’re a beautiful woman, it’s not difficult. It’s easier.”

Jill calmly replies, “Actually, people expect more from women, that’s the trouble.”

The comment sparked a debate about gender expectations in broadcasting, with many viewers expressing their anger on social media.

One user X tweeted: “Wow, first the comments on the Dando documentary and now this. How did Alan Titchmarsh get away with it for so long?!”

Another said: “Watching Jill Dando, I had no idea that Alan Titchmarsh would become my new nemesis.”

Although Titchmarsh was criticized, some viewers praised Jill’s measured response, with one user commenting: “I liked how Jill responded to Alan Titchmarsh’s point that pretty women have it easier on TV.”

This is not the first time Titchmarsh has faced backlash for his views on gender in broadcasting.

In a 2013 interview with the Observer, he said: “Men on television tend to live a little longer at the end of their careers, but it’s the women who make the hay at the beginning.

“They don’t complain early in life when they’re having fun in sports cars. I’d like to see a mix of people of all ages on TV and I’d like to see less whining about it.”

While Netflix the documentary caused controversy for Titchmarsh, it also brought renewed attention to the unsolved case of Dando’s murder.

Her brother, Nigel Dando, said he hoped the program might inspire someone with information to come forward.

Speaking on the Today programme, he said: “This documentary might just make someone of conscience come forward and admit that they were the ones who pulled the trigger that day… It’s hard to expect that to happen.

“I have to be realistic because here we are 24 years ago, whoever killed Jill is still on the loose. Are they still alive after 24 years?

“I believe that if they are alive and have a conscience, then programs like this can just torture the conscience of whoever did it.

“There are also people who may know about it, and I would tell them it’s never too late.”