Talkback: Gardeners' World - Toby Buckland - Page 7 - Talkback

19/08/2008 at 16:25

I am amazed that Carol Klein was not the automatic choice to continue as the presenter. She has great enthusiasm and it would have been a good opportunity for the BBC to show that women have the same opportunities as male presenters.

Gardeners' World Web User

19/08/2008 at 16:36

I know hardly anything about Toby Buckland and am willing to give him a fair trial as new presenter.

However, I very much hope that there'll be no diminishing of Carol's screen time on the programme. She's superbly well qualified to front the programme and nobody could be more passionate about their subject. She's an absolute joy to watch and was my firm favourite to take over the helm after Monty. I can only hope that she was offered the job of main presenter and turned it down due to her other commitments.

I heartily agree that it's high time for a woman in the lead role...but was hoping for Carol because of her obvious suitability for the job in spite of gender. Now looking to Toby to surprise me and keep me tuning in.

Gardeners' World Web User

19/08/2008 at 18:11

good luck Toby, I hope that Carole and Alys still have main roles as I have really enjoyed their time at Gardeners world since Monty left. I hope Monty is recovering well and wish him luck in the future.

Gardeners' World Web User

19/08/2008 at 19:23

If Carol wanted the job she would have been the best choice. She deserved the chance.

Gardeners' World Web User

19/08/2008 at 19:26

I contributed early in this debate. I'd like to re-iterate that my comments were based on the BBC's apparent lack of cognisence that a Friday evening audience might want to see a female main presenter of GW. That, alongside the irrefutable quality of presenting that Carol, and others, have given over past months seems to have gone unacknowledged. Did the Beeb consult their stakeholders? Does the opinion of the audience matter? Let's hope so. In which case, this decision should not be final.

Gardeners' World Web User

19/08/2008 at 19:46

Monty Don will be sadly missed. Surely it is about time we saw a female face on the programme. I was saddened to hear that Carol Klein would not be chosen. She has revitalised the show with her enthusiasm which is infectious and informative. Joe, Alys and Carol were a winning combination shame that the BBC could not see that.

Gardeners' World Web User

19/08/2008 at 20:56

In view of all the comments supporting Carol Klein as lead presenter (I greatly admire Carol's presenting style and her enthusiasm) perhaps the BBC should let viewers know why Toby was chosen and Carol wasn't?

Gardeners' World Web User

19/08/2008 at 21:27

I was really disappointed to hear that Carol Klein was not picked as the main presenter for Gardener's World. She has held the programme together so well since Monty was taken ill. Women are just as talented as men in the gardening world.

Gardeners' World Web User

19/08/2008 at 21:36

Just to say how thrilled I was to hear that Toby Buckland had been given this job. I am very surprised by some of the opinions expressed about his appointment. Toby oozes personality and has a friendly approachable style - I'm sure he will soon win over the doubters.

Gardeners' World Web User

19/08/2008 at 22:34

I was totally disgusted to hear that Carol Klein is not going to be the main presenter of Gardeners World. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Gardeners World over the last weeks with Carol presenting this programme her love and knowledge of gardening is so inspiring. Since Monty left Carol Joe and Alys have made Gardeners World a must to watch on a Friday evening. What a nice change it would have been to have a female presenter fronting Gardeners World for a change.

Gardeners' World Web User

20/08/2008 at 11:19

Like other viewers I would like to add my voice to the disappointment shared by most people that Carol is not going to present GW in the future. I found that the programme had become "stale" but suddenly along came Carol Klein whose manner made you sit up a take notice. She is enthusiastic, practical and speaks the language which every gardener understands. Why you have to bring in another man I don't know. I feel that Friday nights will revert to the same old format ( BBC style) so maybe it is time to spend an extra hour in the garden shed.

Gardeners' World Web User

20/08/2008 at 11:41

I have just heard that Toby Buckland has been given Monty's job, I am very disappointed that Carol didn't get the position, as she has fronted the programme very well since Monty left, why could they not keep the same team? So why can't they reconsider their choice and ask Carol, it would be great to have a female presenter for a change, also she has been doing a great job.

Gardeners' World Web User

20/08/2008 at 12:09

I'm so disappointed, I loved the dual presentation by Carol and Joe. They have different gardening skills harmonising each other perfectly and present so well together. After Monty's departure, the BBC should have left the format as it was.

Gardeners' World Web User

20/08/2008 at 19:45

To Fergus ... who is Toby Booth? Never heard of him. The new presenter of GW is Toby Buckland and he's not Scottish.

Gardeners' World Web User

21/08/2008 at 01:01

If we cannot have Carol as presenter of Gardeners World, then what about Alan Titchmarsh again. He was soooo good. He really inspired me to garden. I am afraid I have never heard of this other man

Gardeners' World Web User

21/08/2008 at 13:53

I agree that the decision not to appoint Carol Klein as main presenter is indeed a missed opportunity. Carol is an extremely knowledgeable gardener and an experienced and popular presenter. She inspires and enthuses viewers because she is such a good communicator, conveying not only practical information but also her obvious passion for the subject. Surely she has all the qualities required to be the main presenter, so what stopped the BBC from offering her the job? They may claim that this is not a gender issue, but I'm afraid that's what it looks like.

Gardeners' World Web User

21/08/2008 at 21:07

Good - I can start watching GW again. I had to turn off completely once Carol Klein had filled the main slot.

Gardeners' World Web User

21/08/2008 at 22:16

Why oh why! We have had some excellent men present the programme but its about time a woman was given the job. Carol Klein has been doing a superb job over the last few months and I am saddened at the news that she hasn't been given the job full time. She is inspirational with her infectious enthusiasm and wealth of knowledge. It has also been a refreshing change to see more of Alys who is the main stay of the garden when everyone else has disappeared. I am going to be a reluctant viewer from now on.

Gardeners' World Web User

22/08/2008 at 09:59

It is wrong to say that the discussion that is occuring has a sexist agenda. I have been watching GW since Percy Thrower, I have enjoyed all of the presenters, I am also a regular visitor to the major garden shows and have had the pleasure of seeing Carole's numerous gold medel exhibits at Chelsea, she is a plantsman, she really knows her stuff, plus she has huge enthusiasm, I am not interested in a "women" presenter, I am in the leading gardening programme being headed up by a class act, as she is. I still believe it is a huge missed opportunity.

Gardeners' World Web User

22/08/2008 at 13:06

It's a question of who you can relate to. I always found Mr Don preachy and skipped his bits. In my experience the men I know cut the grass if they have to and might be interested in a garden tool if it has a power lead, but it's the women who quietly get on with borders, containers, grow a few veggies with the kids and are the ones who decide how to divide up the garden areas. This year walking around garden centres, visiting gardens and some of the big shows like Hampton Court I have seen far more women there than men. Lots of women friends in groups or husband/wife couples but certainly not big groups of men. I am one of the many women who would like to see Carol in charge and more of Alys as I can relate to them. Yes, that is based on gender but doesn't make it sexist. What would be sexist would be sticking in another middle-aged, male, white BBC clone when there was already someone good enough to do the job in the team. Sorry Toby, I rather liked your show garden, but you now have to be spectacularly good to convince me you were worth giving up the chance to have Carol as lead presenter.