I'm old enough to remember Geoff Hamilton. He died relatively young didn't he?
Gosh, I genuinely don't think Monty comes across as smug or insufferable at all.
I find him quite affable and pragmatic.
Just look at his blog for this month. He acknowledges that having a garden (esp in current circs) is a privilege and a luxury and goes on to explain how you can grow herbs in window boxes.
And he admits to being a broadcaster and writer rather than a gardener as he doesn't garden full time.
He a had a mini stroke in 2008 attributed to being overworked (he is a workaholic apparently, or used to be before he was ill) and the Beeb famously didn't pay him a penny while he was off air recuperating for six weeks.
He's completely self taught and although I assume he must have help with his garden nowadays, he initially created it from from scruffy pasture.
He's also spoken openly about his battle with depression. And his bankruptcy when the jewellery business went belly up.
And although a pp described his series of gardens within Longmeadow as "absurd" , they allow him to explain and demonstrate all the different tips and techniques bbc viewers may have relating to fruit and veg cultivation, tending a lawn, container gardening or creating a herbaceous border etc. So they do serve a purpose.
#DefendMontyToTheHilt. 