In 1956, he announced during Sunday Night at the London Palladium his engagement to Teddie Beverley of the Beverley Sisters. They could not marry immediately and, in 1957, he announced that the engagement was cancelled.
He resigned from the BBC in 1960 and went freelance.
When his voice broke he learnt to play the guitar and played in local dance bands whilst working as a hat salesman, then for Bolton Parks Department and later as a golf professional.
In 1978, he provided the music for the LWT show Lena and Bonnie, and in 1979 Alyn Ainsworth and His Orchestra provided the music for the BBC show Lena Zavaroni and Music. Along with Alan Roper he provided the musical arrangements for the show.
Ainsworth achieved a huge degree of success with the BBC NDO, whose reputation as one of the top bands in the UK was in no small amount due to his hard work, and high standards.