I am so disappointed Carol wasn't chosen as the new GW main host. She is perfect and I for one was looking forward to her carrying on with the show as she has done since Monty left. An almost identical choice would be Christine Walkden - who else has the expertise and down to earth personality like hers? I hope in the months to come I will come to like Toby Buckland. To be honest I was devastated when Geoff Hamilton died and Alan Titchmarsh took over. In the beginning I wasnt keen on Alan (not scruffy and down to earth enough) but he changed and mellowed and got his knees muddy and now he is one of my most favourite presenters. Maybe Toby will grow on me as well. We will see.
We are bitterly disappointed that Carol Klein has not been offered the job of Lead Presenter of Gardeners' World. She is so full of enthusiasm that we always look for her appearance in a programme and when the prog. finishes feel "That was worth watching - why are there so few programmes that really satisfy?"
Can't say I'm sad it won't be Mrs Klein in charge. Some years ago we tried to visit her garden in accordance with the date given in the NGS Yellow book. Her reaction was that we were an inconvenience, but could look at the garden with no guarantee that the dogs wouldn't attack us! Needless to say with hospitality like this we drove away, some 40 miles back home. Easy to look good on TV!
I am so pleased with the appointment of Toby Buckland,having been completely "turned off" gardening progs since Monty Don, who seemed humourless and unpersonable. If Toby's approach is anything like Titch's, down to earth and practical, I'll resume my viewing avidly again. But please, BBC, as other contributors have said, let's have a garden we care about that appears to be a bit 'joined up' and not in patches. Good luck Toby, for September!
It would seem that this is another case of the BBC 'knowing whats best for us', without giving the people who actually watch the programme a say. It would be interesting to see the 'audience research' that was carried out by the BBC, but I expect that they threw the 'fag packet' away. If I were Carol I'd be looking for a move!
Why don't Channel 4 take up the challenge and give Carol her own show, we would then see what audience GW would have left! I am sure that is why Monty was chosen to present, so as to reduce the competition.
My gardening friends and I love Carol's infectious enthusiasm and real hands on approach to gardening. She is like a breath of fresh air on the programme and the natural choice to front Gardeners' World. What on earth were the producers thinking of when they side-lined Carol? What a disappointment to us all.
Again, I have nothing against Toby, but Carol Klein has virtually hosted this program since Monty Don left. She has been brilliant, she is extremely knowledgeable, well respected, and has a very pleasing manner. As far as I am concerned, she has much more stature than Toby, and again, for my money, even Joe would have been a better choice. Oh well, what do I know!
Gardeners World has a duty to answer the question that 90% of readers are asking Why not Carol. Is it the stuffy shirts in the BBC or did Carol or even Chris not want the job. Toby? Isn't he a children's presenter! Alan was brilliant, Monty not my favourite but had his moments but all I have seen Toby do (no disrespect Toby) is do 60 minute makeovers. Gardeners World has always been absolutely brilliant to watch and I am now not sure what road its now going down!
After she held the fort so effectively I also presumed that Carol would be first choice to take over, and that she'd turned it down to avoid having her life taken over by it. However I was surprised to see the article in this weekend's Telegraph referring wittily to a 'grass ceiling'. If she really was passed over - even, as the article suggests, discouraged from putting herself forward - I'm very disappointed in a program that's been a good friend to me since I began gardening five years ago.
I fear that the producers feel that a male presenter appeals to both male and female viewers, but that a female presenter would suggest that gardening is a feminine pursuit, and therefore alienate male viewers. Monty Don's appointment was a visionary one, responding to a change in how and why we garden, with its focus on ethics and sustainability. It's a shame this new appointment had to be made hurriedly and without discovering a new bold vision that can take a chance on a female anchor appealing to viewers of both genders.
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I fear that the producers feel that a male presenter appeals to both male and female viewers, but that a female presenter would suggest that gardening is a feminine pursuit, and therefore alienate male viewers. Monty Don's appointment was a visionary one, responding to a change in how and why we garden, with its focus on ethics and sustainability. It's a shame this new appointment had to be made hurriedly and without discovering a new bold vision that can take a chance on a female anchor appealing to viewers of both genders.