Gardener's World

Doghouse RileyDoghouse Riley Posts: 32,491
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The re-vamp of Gardener's World has been put on the compost heap.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1242415/Gardeners-World-puts-revamp-compost-heap.html

It's back to basics in future series.

The only thing this programme in it's "ratings chasing new style" didn't have was; "plant-offs" and phone votes.

To think the BBC pay a few idiots hundreds of thousands a year to come up with this rubbish and the likes of the cringe-making new "Watchdog" format.

As a licence payer I'm not interested in "ratings chases," I just want better quality programmes, whether I choose to watch them doesn't matter, as I'm paying for them.
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Comments

  • molliepopsmolliepops Posts: 26,821
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    Very glad they are rethinking this programme but a shame they are cutting it down to half an hour. Not much gardening on TV really considering how many people in UK have gardens.
  • CaminoCamino Posts: 13,029
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    Shame they arent getting rid of Toby he is so dull, and where has the programme been for months, there wasnt even a Christmas special was there? At least the BBC admit they got it wrong and hopefully instead can bring it back to a decent level though i very much doubt it with the current presenters
  • ftvftv Posts: 31,668
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    Good piece in today's Daily Express by Martin Plimmer on what was wrong with Gardener's World - and what's wrong with the BBC:eek:
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    Camino wrote: »
    Shame they arent getting rid of Toby he is so dull, and where has the programme been for months, there wasnt even a Christmas special was there? At least the BBC admit they got it wrong and hopefully instead can bring it back to a decent level though i very much doubt it with the current presenters

    True- Toby Buckland was a poor choice. Joe Swift would have been better, but there are probably better candidates.

    The BBC Trust recently reported that viewers were "left cynical by BBC output and it's not difficult to see why, with old favourites such as Gardeners' (plural) World and Watchdog being stretched beyond recognition to fill an hour of the schedule. Even The ONE Show has been stretched to an hour (experimentally, of course), but it could be argued that that programme's very existence is a cheap, cynical ploy in reaction to ITV's scheduling of Emmerdale throughout the week. As for those cheap, 'info-tainment' programmes, such as Traffic Cops, in which the angle is always just from that of the authority figure ("I happrehended 'im as I was goin' 'bout me business and 'e replied "It's a fair cop, gov""), they're a disgrace.
  • jabegyjabegy Posts: 6,201
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    So glad they're doing away with the new look:rolleyes: Gardeners World and going back to basics. Now if they could just get the god Alan back again that would be fabulous. I shall start to look forward to Friday nights again.
  • Doghouse RileyDoghouse Riley Posts: 32,491
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    jabegy wrote: »
    So glad they're doing away with the new look:rolleyes: Gardeners World and going back to basics. Now if they could just get the god Alan back again that would be fabulous. I shall start to look forward to Friday nights again.

    Just when the thread I started was going so well, you had to mention the "ubiquitous perennial plant potter"

    Sorry, but he's gone "all showbusiness." The BBC saved us a lot of cash when he defected to ITV.

    He would never have come to prominence had not the great Geoff Hamilton sadly died. I bet he was "as cheap as chips" and therefore excellent value for licence payers' money.

    Mentioned in another post in this thread; As for the cheap to produce; "cop, ambulance, grunge removers," etc., programmes, these were OK when they were transmitted after the "post-bedtime watershed," but now they've become "prime time," as has "cheap tat daytime TV" which is now bleeding into the evening schedules.

    Much of what's on TV now is for me, unwatchable.
  • molliepopsmolliepops Posts: 26,821
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    I'm not sure Alan coming back is really what the show needs I wonder if someone like Bob Flowerdew would be interested he always comes across as knowledgeable.
  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    As a long-time GW viewer, and one who stopped watching early on in the last series due to its lack of basis, and the irritating "we're all matey gardeners" style, iIt's good news that they have seen sense and have accepted that gardeners just want to see gardening items that are informative, as well as items that cover the basics. They did not need any flashy makeovers or street-cred presentations to bring in novice gardeners. Give them just what GW used to offer, and the viewers who want good, honest gardening will follow.

    But I still feel that Toby B is much too lighteweight a presenter, and that we do need someone with the down-to-earth and "do it for a fiver" approach of Geoff "The Guvnor" Hamilton, the affable and easy-going approach of Alan Titchmarsh, or the "get your hands dirty" approach of Monty Don.
  • molliepopsmolliepops Posts: 26,821
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    Who would you all like to see take over ? My vote would be for Bob Flowerdew as I have already suggested. (Old Percy Thrower/Geoff Hamilton fan here)
  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    Yes, Bob Flowerdew would be a good choice, especially with his liking for "gardening for a pound" (similar to Geoff Hamilton) - I recall his containers made out of a couple of old car tyres, and a weed-suppressant covering made out of an old piece of carpet.

    Oh, and return to Berryfields if at all possible.
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    Not too sure about Bob Flowerdew- has he still got the ponytail ? Geoff Hamilton was my favourite, but Monty Don was doing a fine job before he became ill.
  • BrockymanBrockyman Posts: 237
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    In case none of you have noticed it, Yesterday (Freeview 12) is showing The Wartime Kitchen and Garden all this week. Harry Dodson was always a great character and I loved all the shows he featured in. This series was not as good as the original Victorian Kitchen Garden but still great nonetheless and is a lovely gentle programme in a style we'll probably never see again.

    Don't worry if you have missed any, thay are all being repeated on Saturday and again on Sunday. Set your recorders now.

    Ian.
  • molliepopsmolliepops Posts: 26,821
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    Sadly Harry Dodson died in 2005 so he won't be doing it :( He was lovely though always reminded me of my late Granddad.

    When thinking of gardeners who could take over you suddenly realise how few shows we have about gardening !
  • CaminoCamino Posts: 13,029
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    Brockyman wrote: »
    In case none of you have noticed it, Yesterday (Freeview 12) is showing The Wartime Kitchen and Garden all this week. Harry Dodson was always a great character and I loved all the shows he featured in. This series was not as good as the original Victorian Kitchen Garden but still great nonetheless and is a lovely gentle programme in a style we'll probably never see again.

    Don't worry if you have missed any, thay are all being repeated on Saturday and again on Sunday. Set your recorders now.

    Ian.

    Thanks Ian will try to catch some of these over the weekend.
  • Loz_FraggleLoz_Fraggle Posts: 5,757
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    I'm not a fan of Gardener's World but my mum watches it, but it seemed to me that they failed to appeal to their audience and I really can't stand that Alys Fowler!
  • CaminoCamino Posts: 13,029
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    Great news that Monty Don is returning and Toby has been let go. Toby really was very dull and uninspiring.
  • scotchscotch Posts: 10,608
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    Camino wrote: »
    Great news that Monty Don is returning and Toby has been let go. Toby really was very dull and uninspiring.

    Oh that's cheered me up. Toby put me right off the programme.
  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    Camino wrote: »
    Great news that Monty Don is returning and Toby has been let go. Toby really was very dull and uninspiring.
    More info here:
    http://blog.gardenersworld.com/2010/12/07/monty-don-returns-to-gardeners-world/

    Great news, next to Geoff Hamilton, Monty Don was the personification of GW. Toby Buckland was just too ineffectual, lacking any real gravitas. when Mionty Don returned to present the Mastercrafts series, as well as a few on C4, I hoped then that he could be tempted back to GW.

    A shame that Joe Swift remains but Alys Fowler goes though.
  • ageappropriateageappropriate Posts: 9,895
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    Awful news, can't stand Monty Don. So smug and annoying. Shame that Alys is leaving too. They could've dropped Joe while they were making changes. Nice enough bloke but rubbish at garden presenting. At least Carol will still be there. I'll have to record the show and fast-forward through the inevitable lifestyley rubbish and get to Carol's proper gardening segment.
  • ladygardenerladygardener Posts: 2,621
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    I don't like Monty Don either, but worse than him being back is the fact they've dropped Alys and are bringing back Rachel de Thame. I know someone who knew her when she was at a posh gardening school in London where a talent spotter asked her to screen test for Gardeners’ World. Nothing to do with her good looks then obviously. :rolleyes:

    Apart from that, Monty will be presenting the programme from his own garden. So what are they going to do with that expensively made garden in Birmingham?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 195
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    I don't like Monty Don either, but worse than him being back is the fact they've dropped Alys and are bringing back Rachel de Thame. I know someone who knew her when she was at a posh gardening school in London where a talent spotter asked her to screen test for Gardeners’ World. Nothing to do with her good looks then obviously. :rolleyes:

    Apart from that, Monty will be presenting the programme from his own garden. So what are they going to do with that expensively made garden in Birmingham?

    I agree with all of this!

    The Greenacre garden in Brum was a complete waste of money. I bet it will be completely destroyed and sold off for a big loss. :(

    As for the presenting change, well, I feel sorry for Toby. He is a great bloke who knows his stuff and he's been shafted by the BBC. Monty is also a good bloke, but a little bit morose for my liking.

    However, I don't really care who the presenter is as long as they get rid of the froth and stupid segments about 'look at me, I'm a millionaire and my 100 acre garden is great'. I just want a 30 minute show full of tips.

    Poor Alys, though. She is adorable.
  • molliepopsmolliepops Posts: 26,821
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    Great news Monty is returning, bit sad about Alys as she sort of grew on us.
  • towerstowers Posts: 12,183
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    Carol Klein has a 6 part series starting on the 7th January, showing her own cottage garden throughout the seasons in 2009, starting with winter.

    Glad to hear that this enthusiastic presenter is getting her own series in the same slot as Gardner's World. :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 402
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    Seems like Gardeners' World needs two shows, one for the traditional viewers and one for new viewers. That new series made it more accessible for newbies, although Beechgrove is the better of the two.
  • CaminoCamino Posts: 13,029
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    towers wrote: »
    Carol Klein has a 6 part series starting on the 7th January, showing her own cottage garden throughout the seasons in 2009, starting with winter.

    Glad to hear that this enthusiastic presenter is getting her own series in the same slot as Gardner's World. :)

    ooh lovely something to watch while im waiting for Spring :)
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