BBC Escape to the Country presenter Alistair Appleton has been a mainstay on the show since 2007 and has a successful career as a psychotherapist away from the cameras
Escape to the Country presenter thrilled fans by sharing rare snaps of his husband. The telly host, who has been a fixture on the show since 2007, is adored by viewers and shares presenting duties with the likes of Ginny Buckley and Nicki Chapman as they juggle tough challenges in finding people their dream retreat.
Born and bred in Hampshire, Alistair, now 55, graduated from the University of Cambridge with a 2:1 in English Literature. After university, he moved to Poland to teach at the University of Gdansk before relocating to Germany where he launched his broadcasting career with Deutsche Welle as a translator and journalist.
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As his television career blossomed on Escape To The Country, Alistair earned an MA in Advanced Psychotherapy at the Minster Centre in London in 2014. In a chat with Hampshire Life magazine in 2012, he confessed: “I loved that work so much that I started to get a bit disenchanted with all the crazy schedules of TV filming and I decided five years ago to re-train as a psychotherapist.”
He was effusive about his life decisions, stating: “That was the best decision of my life and I think I’ve hit my 40s in much better shape than I hit my 30s,” according to MyLondon.
Alistair has found his idyllic retreat in a cosy Sussex cottage, where he now resides with his husband Daniel Martin, who is earning acclaim as a potter. On social media, Alistair couldn’t hide his pride for Daniel’s work, gushing over his “beautiful husband” and celebrating Daniel’s participation in his first pottery fair.
He shared a snapshot of his partner’s success with followers: “So proud of my beautiful husband.@thepilgrimpotter This weekend is his first pottery fair. At the prestigious @townergallery no less. this weekend! After a mad rush with lots of explosions and triumphs – he’s here! ! And it looks stunning. #townergallery.”
Fans were quick to respond with one saying: “Wow, Daniel, just WOW, beautiful !!!” with another commenting: “The lamp bases are amazing and if I were near that location, those babies would be going home with me!!” A third added: “It all looks amazing and he looks so proud too! love it all!”
Embracing a serene lifestyle, the couple offers free yoga and meditation sessions online – an initiative that Alistair mentions on his personal website as their way of contributing positivity during these challenging times, with an open invitation to everyone interested: “My husband Daniel, a yoga teacher, and I are offering free meditation and yoga to keep us grounded and happy during these extraordinary times. All welcome.”
In a heartfelt reveal, Alistair shared his joy and appreciation for having found love with Daniel, describing their life together in a 1930s French sea captain’s cottage in Newhaven shared with their large dog, Ben: “I am lucky to have found love and have a very understanding and supportive husband, Daniel… We’re currently in a 1930s French sea captain’s cottage in the port of Newhaven. And we live there with our very big dog Ben.”
A celebrated career in television and his expertise as a psychotherapist contribute to Alistair’s impressive net worth – speculations point to a fortune between £2-3 million. Despite professional fulfilment, Alistair once confessed to enduring darker times, particularly in his early 30s, saying he was: “pretty unhappy”.
While maintaining a public persona, Alistair has also been candid about personal trials, including substance abuse and nightlife excesses, which he discusses on his blog, mind-springs.org: “I was drinking a lot, doing a lot of drugs, going out a lot.”
Alistair revealed his struggles in a 2019 blog post, stating: “I realised how fossilised and dead-souled I’d become in my 20s”.
In a separate post, he reflected on his earlier ambitions, saying: “You know, in my 20s all I wanted to be was a famous TV presenter, and by the time I turned 30 I was already seeing that was a very dangerous path for me because I knew that it would just mean more anxiety, more laying value on external looks.”
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