Gardeners World Returns To The BBC – Popular Horticulture Show Returns To TV screens

Gardeners and horticulturists rejoice! Hit BBC TV show Gardeners World has returned to our screens with new presenters, new ideas and an hour long slot.

Earlier this year, the corporation made a smart move by drafting in Paolo Proto, to head up the new series.

Paolo’s credentials are not to be scoffed at, as he is the producer responsible for the record breaking Great British Bake Off series in 2015.

There will also be a mixture of old and new faces on the programme.

New presenters include Frances Tophill from ITV’s Love Your Garden, who will “meet gardeners who work in extreme conditions”, “garden doctor” Nick Bailey; designer Adam Frost; Florence Headlam and Nick Macer, who will look at city gardens and tropical plants respectively.

More importantly, the show will again be headed up by gardening expert Monty Don, who has presented the show since it first started.

An enthusiastic Paolo Proto said; “These [new] strands will cover topics as diverse as tropical plants to city gardens and inspirational garden designers to the science of gardening,” he said.

“We’ll spend time with head gardeners from some of the country’s leading gardens and meet passionate amateurs.”

Gardeners world has always attracted a fantastic audience, with up to 2.5 million viewers watching the latest series.

Next year will also mark the shows 50th anniversary, with Proto and the production team planning some spectacular events to mark the occasion.

Avid gardeners are also happy the show has returned. Annette Richardson, 64, from Nottinghamshire said; ‘‘Gardening has always been a passion of mine and so has Gardeners World.

‘‘I have a real affiliation with it because it’s the show which got me interested in gardening in the first place.’’

Her thoughts were echoed by fellow viewer, Richard Blackwell, a 43 year old horticulture expert from Scarborough who said; ‘‘Monty Don is a personal hero of mine. He showed me how to become a better gardener. It’s thanks to him i’ve won some local awards.

‘‘I’ll certainly be watching the latest series. I’m looking forward to see what the new faces can bring to the show too.’’

Factfile:

  • The show was first broadcast in 1968
  • The 2008 and 2009 series used a 60-minute format as did the 2016 series from episode 23, for eight episodes in total
  • Producers are considering making future episodes 60 minutes long
  • Former presenters include Percy Thrower, Geoff Hamilton, Arthur Billitt and Alan Titchmarsh
  • In 2017 Gardeners’ World celebrates it’s 50th anniversary

Gardeners World airs every Friday afternoon on BBC2 (until late October).  

Visit BBC iPlayer for more information.