TV chef Ainsley Harriott rescues sister after she falls into pond at Chelsea Flower Show

Ainsley Harriott said his sister was “doing fine and all is well” after she had a fall at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show.

The TV chef was seen helping his sister when she fell into a water feature on the BBC Studios Our Green Planet and RHS Bee Garden as celebrities were at the first day of the world-famous event.

He later said in a tweet:

The RHS, which puts on the Chelsea Flower Show, issued a statement about the incident, which took place in front of other TV presenters including Nick Knowles who were on the show garden at the time, saying they were investigating what happened.

“The guest was quickly attended to by on-site medical professionals and we are pleased to say is now home and well,” the organisation said.

The Chelsea Flower Show has returned to its traditional May slot with gardens focusing on wildlife, wellbeing and floral displays to mark the Platinum Jubilee. Among the show gardens is a recreation of a beaver wetland, complete with a beaver lodge, dam, streams, and natural wildflower planting.

Sara King, who leads on the rewilding network for Rewilding Britain, the charity the garden is in support of said there were two reasons behind the exhibit. “Beaver wetlands are absolutely incredible, and to bring a slice of that here – not many people can visit them as they’re still quite isolated – for people to experience and hear the soundscape is really incredible.” And she said that there was an ecological crisis and beavers were really good for boosting diversity and other wildlife.

While some people might see the wild-like garden at Chelsea as slightly messy, she said, “if we can allow some wilder areas within our gardens and parks and countryside it really will help nature bounce back”.

Environment minister Rebecca Pow was at the show to announce a new push by the Government to support bees and other pollinators, including raising awareness among gardeners. “Gardeners can play as crucial a role as our farmers and landowners,” she said. Asked what gardeners can do, Ms Pow said: “Just some really simple things, leave some bits of your lawn long. I’ve just done this in a patch and it’s quite remarkable what comes up even from the seeds that are there.” She highlighted dandelions and daisies, which people used to spray but were good sources of nectar, as well as trefoil, clovers and other plants. And the minister urged gardeners to plant things that will flower for as many months as possible across the year.

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