Titchmarsh mourns lost childhood of 1950s as he reveals dancing ambition

The renowned gardener turned writer and broadcaster was in Harrogate last night to talk about his latest book, When I Was a Nipper, at a special Yorkshire Post Literary Evening.

Drawing on his own childhood, the book journeys through the Britain of the 1950s, searching for values and traditions he feels have been lost.

One of the biggest differences, he explained, is the lives young people have now.

"Children can live by just watching – they watch television, computer screens, their PlayStations," he said. ""They can take virtual tours – I don't want that for them. They should get out into the countryside and discover it properly, feel it and smell it, really experience it. When I was a kid we'd spend whole days playing outside."

After speaking about his book and career, Mr Titchmarsh took questions from the audience.

"People often ask me if I miss Yorkshire but I say no," he told them. "How can I, when it's in my head? I can walk around Ilkley any time I want – it's all there in my mind."

And after everything he's done, Mr Titchmarsh revealed he still has an unfulfilled ambition – to appear on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.

"I've turned it down three times so they might not ask again," he said. "The problem is time – you might end up staying in for three months, even if you can't dance. But I'd love to do it one day."