Monty is leaving Gardeners World

[ProfessorofDarkArts]

Couldn’t see a thread on this, just been announced. Who do people think will replace him? My money is on Frances Tophill who I quite like but not sure she has her own garden. Adam Frost has recently moved to a bigger space but I’d be very surprised if it was a straight middle aged white male this being the BBC.

Noooooooooo!!!!

I find his voice and demeanour immensely relaxing and watching him in the show is a source of comfort to me, an off switch almost.

The other gardeners are all perfectly fine and knowledgeable but they don’t have the same soporific effect for me.

I’m pretty sure Frances has her own garden - she’s always got her little sighthound with her.

eta maybe Sue Kent?

A trained professional horticulturalist please.

I don't care who they are as long as they are recruited solely for their expertise, and not for woke box-ticking reasons.

Rachel de Thame?

I don’t have a garden or zero interest in gardening but regularly watch it when Monty presents because I find it comforting. Cannot abide Adam Frost, however much media training he has he is as awkward as the first day he had to present to camera.

The BBC will take the opportunity to appoint in a woke fashion. I hope for those who watch it for horticultural knowledge get a decent replacement.

@UnpopularOpinionsIWouldUsuallyKeepToMyself I agree, when I hear him say ‘hello’ on a Friday night I can feel myself relaxing and switching off!

I like Rachel and Sue, both would tick BBC boxes (‘older’ / has a disability) but I don’t feel they’re quite lead presenter material, in fact I can’t think of anyone who is quite right.

Thank goodness for that! I like Monty but he generally has done the same stuff every week for the last couple of years. I'm bored with GW because he has nothing to develop and seems lack lustre. GW needs someone with a new garden development to do over the next few years and a refresh of what viewers want to see weekly. I think Adam would be a good replacement (love his voice) but maybe a revolving group of gardeners would be better with regular allotment/veg patch/garden to follow to help us that still like to learn and get ideas from watching how these develop week by week? At least I won't have to record it and fast forward through Monty's bits anymore.

I like Monty but I think GW has got a tiny bit stale. Only so many times we can see the same things over and over again at Long Meadow. I don’t think Adam Frost would be a good choice.He is quite awkward on screen. He also may not stay at that new house and garden for very long. I think the best way forward could be different presenters doing segments that make up a whole show. Plus the viewers gardens are sometimes interesting. I like Toby Buckland but he only has a small garden. Perhaps he could roam around. Please not Sue Kent I am sure she’s a very nice woman but her voice grates on me. Carol Klein is knowledgeable but veers into botany lesson territory. I like Rachel and Frances. Tricky situation for the BBC.

Yes it is tricky, there’s no obvious successor is there. I think it’s been in the pipeline for a few years though - I remember reading something - so maybe they’ve got a plan 🤔

Interesting all the comments about not being a white middle aged male - see the bbc's highest earners - not really a lack of them?

I’ve always liked Joe Swift, but I think he has been getting less airtime recently.
Rachel or Francis would also be good.

Didn’t Joe fall out with someone or something? Hence him not being included in the Chelsea coverage this year.

So as long as they're white, able bodied and straight then. Because anything else would be woke box ticking? Gotcha

I used to really like Monty but it has all got a bit stale. It’s definitely the right time for him to go.

I like Frances but she doesn’t have her own garden. Carol Klein is brilliant but she’s 81 so she isn’t going to be putting that much time in.

My choice would be Arit, I love her. But I don’t think she has her own film-able garden, they always show her visiting others.

So if not Arit, I’d like Adam to be lead presenter but with several others hosting episodes regularly as they’ve done this year.

Maybe it'll be someone completely new, with a garden to develop?

@ProfessorofDarkArts I don’t know. A quick Google does suggest there was a falling out.
I just hope they don’t bring in someone who totally shakes it up. I’m thinking Tom Allen, who has a gardening podcast. Nice guy, but totally wrong for gardeners world.
@Marinel yes, Arit would be good. She very easy to watch and knows her stuff.

Oh yes I really like Arit. Adam now has a podcast with Caitlin Moran, I really hope she doesn’t get involved in this 😩

I haven't been watching it for horticultural knowledge since Alan Titchmarsh left.

You are completely wrong. That's not what I said, and you know it.

I said (and I quote) 'they should be recruited solely for their expertise'.

Are you implying that only white people can be experts in this field? Because I'm not. They should employ the best person for the job, whoever they are, whatever gender, orientation, colour, physical capacity, it doesn't matter.
The best person for the job.

Bring back Toby Buckland with Frances Tophill and Arthur Parkinson

Yes!

I've really enjoyed the episodes with Frances when she's at the other lady's farm, Toby always has a little gem of useful knowledge to share and Arthur Parkinson has so much to share and inspire us with.

No opinion on who should now be lead presenter. An appreciation for all that he has done on the programme on the last 20 years.

Yes I quite liked Toby Buckland but I don't think he was that popular was he?

We haven't seen Arthur P for ages have we?
They have some very knowledgeable contributors, I also like Rekha Mistry.

I just read his leaving article on the bbc website, and I had completely forgotten that when Monty started on GW he was not at Longmeadow, he presented it from a rented garden called Berryfields. So it should be possible for someone like Frances or Arit to do it from a rented garden.

Agree. I haven’t watched it for a long time because it is so repetitive.

Frances or Arit would be great , Adam does all of his gardening on his knees , however he does have a garden