Angellica Bell on home renovations and her love for gardening

“We have hydrangeas, a beautiful bay, roses and a pear tree,” Angellica Bell says of her garden at her new abode. The presenter, who is a familiar face on our TV screens on The One Show and The Martin Lewis Money Show, has just moved not a million miles away from her previous home and is about to embark on a renovation project. While she firms up her plans for the interiors, she is excited to see how the garden is coming to life as we head into the warmer months.

“When I first bought a house, I had never done any gardening so I looked it all up and taught myself as I went along. I remember though, I was doing some weeding and went to remove what I thought was a rock. It suddenly jumped up and I realised I was grappling with a large toad!” Angellica will be presenting live again from Chelsea Flower Show and she says that she is looking forward to getting some inspiration. “I love all the pavilions and the big show gardens as well as seeing what can be achieved in smaller spaces such as a balcony. I also can’t wait to take a look at the house plants section to see what I can bring home…”

Home is now a beautiful Victorian property which she and her husband Michael Underwood are renovating. She’s hoping to tap into the skills and expertise of local tradespeople. “I think it’s important to keep the period character of a place. And Kingston is full of history with its royal past and all the historic buildings around us so I’d like to play my part in that.”

She’s no stranger to home renovating, having done work before. But she admits: “This is a big project so if you see me out and about you might just want to come over and offer me a hug – and any renovation tips greatly appreciated!” You can also follow her journey on her Instagram account.

Angellica loves supporting local businesses and we are delighted to have her as a champion of our Food and Culture Awards. “What I love is the camaraderie with businesses supporting businesses – Time & Leisure’s awards are all about people who care about each other and the community.

Having not moved far, Angellica clearly loves her local area. Her favourite spots? “I like cycling in Richmond Park, takeaways from Roz Ana (a Time & Leisure award winner), coffee and pastries at the new Ole & Steen in Kingston town centre, and lunch at Scott’s by the river in Richmond. I’ve heard great things about A Cena so that’s next on my list as I love Italian food.”

Angellica’s career has spanned everything from Children’s BBC, where she started out, to winning 2017’s Celebrity MasterChef. The Martin Lewis Money Show has recently been nominated for a BAFTA. Angellica is thrilled. “When it gets that sort of recognition, it’s wonderful and it’s a real testament to the skill of the production team. But at the end of the day, we don’t do it for the awards. What really moves me is when people phone in and talk about how the advice from the show has really helped them.”

• RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 23 to 27 May

Read more about our Food and Culture Award Winners.

Main photo: Snooty Fox Images