The announcement that Monty Don was stepping down as "head gardener" of the BBC's flagship gardening programme was met with shock and consternation across the British press.
A comment in The Guardian declared "Monty Don is quitting Gardeners’ World – and you’re right to be devastated about it". And Clare Coulson in The Telegraph said "Monty Don made us all better gardeners – and helped us to accept failure", hinting at an appeal Don had beyond his central role of educating and inspiring the nation to make the most of their own gardens.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall appeared overawed by the weight of the news, telling HortWeek: "Wow, I don't know. You can't replace Monty, can you? It's like he's the Sir David Attenborough of gardening.
"I know Monty reasonably well, so I take my hat off to everything he's done to get people growing. I'm not going to get into who his replacement should be."
So having just completed the onerous task of finding replacements for Tess and Claudia on Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC now has to try and please the passionate and invested audience for Gardeners' World.
But the people most likely to be affected by the choice are, arguably, garden retailers.
Taking views at the leading garden retail trade show Glee this week, HortWeek editor Matt Appleby found no shortage of opinions.
His straw poll taken at Glee had a return for Alan Titchmarsh, a step-up for Adam Frost, Carol Klein or Frances Tophill, who deputised for Don in 2023.
Tophill told HortWeek in 2024: "I feel really torn. There's never been a lead female presenter and even to [the best of her knowledge] have been the first solo woman to anchor the programme, even though I've only done it six times, is still a massive honour.
"For all women who are gardeners to be a woman to be able to do that is such a privileged position and I feel really grateful for it. But the pressure of anchoring a programme like Gardeners' World every week having your garden shown to the world and not having it as a place you can enjoy and make it messy or whatever you want to do with it is a massively huge thing and I haven't watched a single programme I've anchored because I find it too nerve-wracking. To put myself through that every week, I don't know how Monty [Don] does it and I've got massively more respect for him now. So, in one sense to be that woman would be amazing, in the other sense, absolutely terrifying and I can't think of anything worse. Give me gardening anyday!
"But that doesn't mean I won't be persuaded to do it if they want it. But it's a prospect that I find really daunting. My answer to everything in life is to be a gardener. That's always been the most important thing for me. My TV work has always been a really interesting thing that I thought would be a blip.
"When I first did it I thought I'd do it for a year and they'd never have me back again because I was so cripplingly shy. It was something to tell the grandkids one day. But as it's gone one I've written my first book and found this is great and what an amazing thing and an interesting opportunity to see what it's about as an outsider and be a gardener and one day when they don't want me anymore I'll return to being a gardener. It goes on each year and it carries on. I wouldn't want that to be my main life; gardening is my main life."
So whoever the replacement is, they will need to be comfortable with "household name" status.
Many garden retailers at Glee backed the idea of a younger presenter or influencer who could give a broader and simpler view of gardening from a smaller and more relatable garden with Huw Richards and Jonny Hincks cited as contenders. A move to industry favourite Michael Perry was also a popular choice.
Several Glee attendees suggested a combination of current presenters could take over, with no lead in place.
The current roster of Gardeners' World presenters is:
- Adam Frost: Regular presenter and garden designer
- Frances Tophill: Regular presenter and horticulturist
- Joe Swift: Regular presenter and garden designer
- Arit Anderson: Regular presenter and landscape designer
- Carol Klein: Long-standing regular plantswoman and presenter
- Sue Kent: Regular presenter
- Advolly Richmond: Garden history and design presenter
- Nick Bailey: Regular presenter and plant expert
Monty Don's dog was also suggested.
COMMENTS
Susan Delaney emailed hortweek@haymarket.com
"Without any doubt Frances Tophill would be by far the very best replacement for that prestigious role. She is so very knowledgeable. She has a sunny disposition and she would appeal to all levels of gardener or Gardeners' World fan, and it would be a breath of fresh air to have a female presenter, for once, and given the growing market of female gardeners who are transforming this country's horticultural scene.
"Adam Frost would be a very good second, but he doesn't have the in-depth knowledge that Frances has, and social changes have given rise to an ideological shift in which many women have grown quite tired of being lectured to by men in charge of things.
"Other good contributions would be most welcome from Toby Buckland, and of course Carol Klein.
"Monty Don should have bowed out years ago. He is quite sad and tired and his presentations have become very monotonous and repetitive. The best thing at the moment is his loyal dog, Ned."
"Fingers crossed for Frances."
"I think they need to make wholesale changes and explore the horticulture industry for new people.
"Does it really need a flagship main presenter? When Have I Got News For You moved on from Angus Deayton, they used a combination of guest and repeat presenters and it massively improved the show. Maybe that would work.
"Rather than producers deciding through screen tests, let the viewers into the process for one year."
Kevin Line, HortWeek columnist
"Frances Tophill and Adam Frost, alternate weeks. Frances has excellent all round botanical knowledge and the breath of fresh air that the programme needs. Adam is a great down to earth gardener / horticulturist with a lovely natural approach.
"My outside choice would be Matthew Wilson from GQT. Excellent knowledge. A lovely genuine man and a very good presenter."
Plants for Europe's Graham Spencer
"GW has been going for 58 year and has never had a lead female presenter, I expect a new lead presenter who is under 50 and possibly under 40. I'd like to see a presenter who has an understanding, or at least a willingness to engage, with the industry., It's a great opportunity to reinvigorate GW and inject some new energy. Combined with cross-over content with online and shortform output (Instagram, TikTok - the BBC is already in those spaces), horticulture can reach people on their portable devices when they are out and about and in their gardens, not just on the sofa on Friday evening (which is a very 'yesterday' method of delivering content)."
Colin Heading
"I think that Frances Tophill should be the next GW presenter. She brings youth, enthusiasm and femininity to the programme. She would be an excellent choice for the main presenter."
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