Gardeners World

Lead presenters of Gardeners world.

I have to say I don't remember Ken Burras,but all the others I almost consider as family friends lol.

• Ken Burras (1968 – 1969)
• Percy Thrower (1969 – 1976)
• Arthur Billitt (1976 – 1979)
• Geoff Hamilton (1979 – 1996) Geoffrey Smith(1980-1982?????????
• Alan Titchmarsh (1996 – 2002)
• Monty Don (2003 – 2008)
• Toby Buckland (2008 –)

The presenters assistants have included........

I remember them all exept Mary Spiller and Liz Rigby.



Have we forgotten anyone?

• Alys Fowler
• Chris Baines
• Chris Beardshaw
• Mary Spiller
• Liz Rigby
• Diarmuid Gavin
• Clay Jones
• Stefan Buczacki
• Christine Walkden
• Sarah Raven
• Gay Search
• Anne Swithinbank
• Nigel Colborn
• Geoffrey Smith
• Roy Lancaster
• Peter Seabrook
• Joe Swift
• Ali Ward
• Pippa Greenwood
• Rachel De Thame
• Carol Klein
• Bob Flowerdew

 

Well this post should please many...Titch and Monty back at the Beeb with NEW gardening programmes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8461132.stm

So thats FIVE NEW gardening programmes this season....enough for everyone?

Steve...

 

It does indeed.

 

Really looking forwars to seeing Carol Klein in a years worth at Glebe Cottage.
I just enjoy any gardening programmes, I get lost in them and dream...

 

Roders - you forgot Geoffrey Smith in your list - he was the main man on GW for two years in the seventies. Come to think of it why "main man" why not "main woman"?

 

Well done Alana,yep ...........Geoffrey Smith,I remember him........
I just looked him up on Wikopedia and it said 1980/2 so he must have been around with Geoff Hamilton unless someone knows different

 

I dont watch much TV these days I leave it up to Mr 02 ( No fight over the remote that way):hehe:

But whenever spring watch or gardening programmes are on,

I state my claim for the remote and he knows he hasnt got a leg to stand on.:thmb:.

Fairs fair in love and war. :flag::D 02

 

So it's right, according to my paper, the "Perennial Plant Potter" is returning to Gardener's World. I'm just concerned that he'll try to turn it into more like his chat show. He does this with his Chelsea Flower Show appearances.
I'm surprised the BBC had him back after he "swanned off" to ITV.
They'll never drive down the cost of these "high profile" people and release money to be spent on improving all programmes, if they continue to let them do as they please.

 

I read that Alan Titchmarsh is being lured back to the BBC to front a new gardening programme called Alan's Garden Secrets where he will be visiting gardens not open to the public. Sound good to me and Monty is travelling around Italy visiting gardens for four special programmes.
Gardeners World will continue with Toby Buckland.
It's good to hear that the BBC are getting well known presenters back to boost the ratings and to see AT going back to his roots!

 

alana...I posted about that above and provided a link to a story about the two programmes you mentioned...and the other programmes too.

Steve...

 

sorry Steve I must have missed that one

 

I've been thinking about the issue of GW for sometime now. I occasionally make the mistake of reading the BBC message board discussions about GW and always end up very irritated by some of the posters. As this forum is rather more 'measured' that the BBC one, maybe this is a better place to witter about some of the thoughts I've had.

Presenters
These are very much a matter of choice. My wife likes Alan Titchmarsh and can't stand Monty Don. My mother can't stand Alan! An ex-colleague was really looking forward to Gay Search being on GW as she really liked her newspaper column, then found that her voice was really irritating. So that's a personal thing which nobody else can do anything about and the BBC just have to take pot luck with.

Ratings
I did actually look up the ratings for GW over the last few years. The decline started while Monty Don was presenting and didn't actually fall much, if at all, when Toby took over. So it's not as simplistic as 'bring back Monty and all will be well'. I do suspect that the BBC are worried that for a prime time Friday evening the audience is a bit low - this, of course, may be why the made so many changes when Toby took over. Unfortunately I can't find the website I used to check the figures.

Ourselves
We've changed. All of us. We are all more knowledgeable gardeners than we were five years ago (at least I hope we all are!). That means that what we wanted out of a gardening programme then isn't what we expect now -- even if it's happened so gradually that we don't realise it. The programme which got me into gardening was Ground Force -- I suspect even if it came back, it wouldn't be my first priority now!

An on a personal note: I keep a pen and paper with me when I'm watching GW, to make notes about what they're recommending you should do now, plants we might like, that sort of thing. I found I've been writing far more down since Monty left and Toby took over. But maybe that's just me...

Steve

 

Well said Steve - it is impossible to please everyone. I will continue watching the programme to keep up to date with what is new in the plant world. I'm sure I'll still find something to enjoy. I'll be Sky+ing it and fast forwarding the bits I don't find interesting.

As for irritating voices - what about Rachel de Thame ?

 

It does indeed John, because I really like to watch Rachel de Thame too, although, of course, I imagine we both have different reasons -in fact I like all the female presenters. Alys Fowler is growing on me, she looks like a young woman determined to appear like a cross old granny but that's not offensive. She knows her stuff, even if the BBC is determined to have us believe she doesn't.