Gardeners' World star David J.C. Austin dies after rare brain disease diagnosis
Legendary rose grower was 67Gardeners’ World star David J.C. Austin has died at the age of 67 after being diagnosed with a rare brain disease.
David, who was the chair of David Austin Roses, had a long collaboration with the BBC show.
Experts from his nursery regularly appeared in segments on the flagship programme, and at live events promoting it.
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Gardeners’ World collaborator David J.C. Austin dies
Sadly, David was diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease – a rare, incurable, and fatal neurological disorder.
He died earlier this week at his Shropshire home.
His children, Richard, James, and Olivia, paid tribute. “First and foremost, dad was a gardener,” they said.
“He carried our grandfather’s vision with humility and an unwavering sense of responsibility, always putting the roses, the family business and its people before himself.”
They went on to describe him as “kind” and “modest” with a “playful spirit”.
“He faced his illness with the same courage and dignity that he brought to life,” they continued.
“Above all, he was our dad, and words cannot express how much we will miss him. We couldn’t be more proud of him.”
Monty Don pays tribute to Gardeners’ World co-star
Following David’s death, TV star Monty Don also paid tribute.
Monty said he was “so sorry” to hear of David’s death.
“My regards and condolences to all his family,” he wrote on Instagram.
“But what legacy he leaves – millions of exquisite roses that will live on for so many, enriching all our lives.”
Tributes for David J.C. Austin
Monty wasn’t the only one to pay tribute to David and his work.
The official Gardeners’ World magazine Instagram account said: “We’re so very sorry to hear this. Sending our love to you all.”
“We’re deeply saddened by this news. Sending love and condolences to the Austin family,” the Royal Horticultural Society said.
“Sending love and condolences to the Austin family. Heartbreaking news,” BBC star Zoe Ball added.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which often develops sporadically, causes proteins in the brain to fold, leading to brain damage and death. It can also be inherited if one parent carries a mutation that causes prions to form in their brain during adulthood.
The condition affects around one in nine million people in the UK. Most people die within a year of the first symptoms, which include memory loss, impaired thinking, personality changes, and jerky movements.
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