Sexing Alan Titchmarsh ****

Betty Mountshaft is in her element. "He was recently voted the second sexiest man in Britain," she excitedly informs me, "behind Russell Grant. It is great you are here and that’ll be 30p for the programme and badge, thank you." So, attaching my "I love Titch" badge to the jacket I settle back for a delicious hour of saucy humour, cracking caricatures, and an affectionate tribute to Britain’s most famous gardener.

We have been invited here by Miss Mountshaft, the formidable chairwoman of the Leith Gardening Society, for an episode of In The Potting Shed featuring Alan Titchmarsh, Charlie Dimmock and Tommy Walsh. There is still some time to go before Ground Force arrives so we are at leisure to enjoy an introduction from TV producer Peter, technical difficulties from caretaker Herring, and the bowel problems of Mr Holloway. Fertilise this with some seriously satanic shenanigans from Miss Mountshaft and the WI, keep in sunlight, and you have a farcical Carry-On-Up-The-Garden type show that is very funny in a peculiarly British way.

Some of it is none too subtle but on the whole the comedy is never laboured and smells as fresh as a daisy. Particularly fragrant is Gilly Tompkins as Miss Mountshaft, the interfering old battle-axe who is also prone to Brief Encounter reminiscences about Titchmarsh as a lad.

She is more than adequately supported by Richard Braine as all the other characters - a feat that means changing coats and hats at breakneck speed.

This is a polished production from the writing team of Doran and Braine that would have certainly up-staged Mr Titchmarsh had he decided to pop along to Leith.

Until 27 August