Gardeners' World's Monty Don reveals who he wants to replace him after hinting at exit
Monty Don, the star of Gardeners' World, has expressed his desire for a female presenter to succeed him when he eventually steps down from the BBC show. The 68 year old caused a stir in the gardening community when he hinted at retirement during an interview with Times Radio.
Although he's had to "backpedal" on the suggestion, Monty acknowledges that he can't host the show indefinitely, having previously described it as a "remorseless treadmill". He also confessed that he "hasn't got endless time left", as he contemplates his future.
The celebrity gardener, who took over presenting duties from Alan Titchmarsh on BBC show Gardeners' World in 2003, thinks a female presenter could bring "new ideas" to the programme. In a conversation with The Times, he stated: "Gardening has traditionally been a conservative - note the small 'c' - world and there is a male-dominated view of horticulture.
"I think anything that encourages new thoughts, new people, new ideas is healthy, but when I said that I was actually thinking about a woman successor. There is a male-dominated view of horticulture; there are easily as many good women gardeners as men but more male designers are represented at the Chelsea Flower Show. Why is that? There's no reason."
Monty believes that women bring a more "sensitive" touch to gardens, while he finds his male colleagues tend to be more "competitive". However, he concedes that the "best gardens" often incorporate ideas from both genders.
The TV presenter recently confessed a keen sense of his age, realising he's surpassed the ages at which both of his parents passed away. Although he finds it "brilliant" to think of hosting his shows in two decades, he acknowledges that is likely wishful thinking.
In a discussion with The Guardian, the star let slip his intention to step down from Gardeners' World "within the next five years," hoping instead to channel his energies towards more documentary work. During an interview with the paper back in November, his thoughts were clear: "I haven't got endless time left. If I'm still going strong in 20 years, that will be brilliant, but 20 years ago doesn't seem so long ago."
This revelation might come as a disappointment for the viewers who have grown fond of Monty's interactions with his dogs and his signature greeting of "Hello" while tending to his garden.
Despite the future changes, audiences can catch Monty on their screens later tonight at 9pm on BBC Two where he'll present Gardeners' World. He has a busy episode ahead, focusing on planting camassias and cyclamen for the upcoming spring as well as sowing hardy annuals in his cut flower beds, not to mention the strawberry plants slated for his vegetable patch.