North Korea: Titchmarsh is a wrong Un
Garden guru censored over his jeans
ALAN Titchmarsh is allowed on telly in North Korea but his jeans smack too much of flower power for the totalitarian regime there.
Despot Kim Jong Un’s state TV channel KCTV showed an episode of Alan Titchmarsh’s Garden Secrets, with his subversive jeans blurred out.
Denims are considered a symbol of Western imperialism in the secretive authoritarian state and have been banned since the 1990s.
At 74 years old, veteran garden guru Alan said he is “flattered” that his jeans are “regarded as subversive”.
But he added: “I’d never thought of myself as someone who was likely to lead the youth of North Korea astray.”
Alan has previously spoken about some of his shows featuring on TV in North Korea but it is thought to be the first time he has been censored.
He said last year: “I never imagined my programmes would reach North Korea but hopefully the calming nature of British gardening will be well received there.”
North Korean TV often pirates content from foreign broadcasters, especially top flight football matches.
Owning or trading in foreign media is illegal in the country.
According to NK News, in the 2010 Garden Secrets episode, North Korean narrators talk over Alan but his voice is heard in the background.
Set in the gardens of 17th century Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, Alan can be seen kneeling in the soil and tackling stepover apples.
Analyst Martyn Williams monitors North Korea’s TV.
He said: “There is very little foreign programming on KCTV. It’s usually restricted to sports and science and technology-type short reports.
“This falls into the latter category. The channel has these little features on non-controversial topics.”