Ainsley Harriott ‘snubbed’ by Chelsea Flower Show after threatening to sue organisers because his sister fell into a pond

TV chef Ainsley Harriott was allegedly rejected by the Chelsea Flower Show after her sister fell into the pond and threatened to sue the organisers.

The Mail on Sunday understands Mr Harriott has not been invited to the star-studded VIP day of the flower show, which celebrities and media previewed before it goes public, since 2022, when his sister Jacqueline fell backwards into a pond and was completely submerged.

In dramatic scenes, Mr Harriott, 69, and other visitors pulled him from the water after the crash at BBC Studios Our Green Planet and the RHS Bee Garden.

He was seen coughing up ‘lots of water’ before paramedics took him to hospital, where he made a full recovery.

Furious Mr Harriott, the Ready Steady Cook star, later said his family were considering legal action against the show’s organisers, the Royal Horticultural Society, saying: ‘They should have dealt with this.’ [the pond] closed. It was about six feet deep; It was quite a big drop when you hit the water.’

The MoS understands Mr Harriott has not been invited to the VIP day since the public criticism, although he has decided not to pursue a legal claim.

‘It’s very, very sad,’ said Mr Harriott, who has previously spoken about his love of gardening.

‘I would love to go [to last year’s VIP day] But I must have upset them because after what I said the invitations stopped.’

In dramatic scenes, Mr Harriott, 69, and other visitors pulled him from the water after the crash at BBC Studios Our Green Planet and the RHS Bee Garden.

He was seen coughing up ‘lots of water’ before paramedics took him to hospital, where he made a full recovery.

Mr Harriott attended the flower show at least eight times.

Three times he was accompanied by retired cooking teacher Jacqueline.

He added: ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. In the end, nothing came of it, but you know how families are.

‘When he falls behind… I love him to death. I was sad. The RHS means a lot to me; My mother was part of society.’

RHS volunteer Matt Peskett, who saw the crash in 2022, said later: ‘There were 30 or 40 celebrities outside and they were all drinking champagne.

‘And then suddenly one of the guests stepped backwards and fell in. ‘Not even just one step, they fell in completely.’

Another eyewitness said: ‘I think he almost drowned. Before laying him on the ground, Ainsley Harriott and some other celebrities took him out. ‘He was coughing up a lot of water.’

This year’s event will be a particularly glittering affair; The star of the show will be a garden co-designed by King Charles and Sir David Beckham.

Former England captain and gardener Alan Titchmarsh met the King last month to discuss plans for the King’s Foundation Curious Garden.

Mr Harriott’s manager confirmed he was not invited ‘last year or this year’.

After contacting the MoS on Friday, the RHS said it wanted new supporters to have the opportunity to attend but made an apparent U-turn, saying Mr Harriott would be welcome.

A spokesman said: ‘We are sorry that Ainsley feels this way and wish she had spoken to us directly.

‘He is welcome to join if he wishes, and we would welcome his support of our wider philanthropic work.’

In 2024 Mr Harriott hosted a series for ITV featuring a cooking challenge in three of the National Trust’s kitchen gardens.

Another of her shows, Ainsley’s Fantastic Flavors, will return to ITV later this year.