Monty Don has said he is "heartbroken" following the loss of his beloved dog, Patti. The Gardeners' World star, 71, shared the sad news on social media on Tuesday.
Alongside a carousel of photos of the Yorkshire Terrier, including an adorable snap of Monty holding a young Patti, Monty penned: "I have sad news. Our lovely Patti died suddenly this morning after a very short illness. She was much loved, and lit up our lives. We are all heartbroken."
The comments section was quickly inundated with messages of support, including from fellow TV presenter Matt Baker, who wrote: "Thinking of you Monty - As I always say, the reason we love our dogs so much is because the only time they break our hearts is when they leave us."
Meanwhile, Monty's Gardeners' World co-star, Rachel de Thame, penned: "So sad to read this… sweet Patti. Thinking of you and Sarah x."
© InstagramPatti's death comes just months after the passing of Monty's wirehaired dachshund, Peggy, who died aged 15 in January. "Peggy died yesterday," he announced on social media at the time. "She was an old lady - a few weeks short of her 16th birthday- and went as she had lived, gently and without fuss. She was eccentric, quirky, infinitely gentle and loving and will be missed terribly. She is now buried in the coppice alongside Nigel and Nell and the other dogs."
Monty Don's love of dogs
Monty has owned many dogs over the years. Before her death, Patti, along with Monty's Golden Retriever, Ned, would often feature on episodes of Gardeners' World.
Nellie, another Golden Retriever, sadly passed away in October 2023.
© InstagramIn a 2016 interview with The Guardian, Monty opened up about his love of dogs. "I like dogs because they are not humans," he said. "I get very uncomfortable when people start talking about dogs as 'my boys'. What is wonderful is that this is a wild animal which has chosen to go into partnership with you. It is the only wild animal that really does that."
After Nigel, his Golden Retriever, died in 2020, Monty described his furry companion's love as a "powerful medicine," emphasising the positive impact pets can have on their owner's mental well-being.
"I think that if you suffer from any kind of mental illness, whether it be depression or anxiety or whatever, having someone to look after who returns that attention with completely unqualified love, is very powerful. It's powerful medicine," he told Radio 4.
© BBC Studios"Even just the basics. If you have a dog you have to take it for a walk, which means you have to go outside, put your boots on and put a coat on. As anybody who is listening knows that when you are depressed you don't do any of that," he continued. "You don't get out of bed, you eat badly, you don't do what you're supposed to do, you don’t do what you want to do because you don't want to do anything. And so on and so forth."
He added: "So having a dog you have to give food and water and walk and attention, and who just loves you, is extraordinary."
